Lunacy Fringe
by i.love.an.idiot
Summary: Tris reflects on the moments where she felt more for Eric than disgust. AU. Complete.
1. 1

My AU where Tris Prior realizes she feels more for Eric than disgust. Tris reflects. Chronologically pieced together, these are ten scenes that show the difficult relationship between trainer and trainee.

xxxx

She would never forget the first time she saw him on the roof. Easily the tallest and widest man she had ever seen, and he was looking at the crowd of initiates like they were a meal.

Even before he spoke, Tris knew this man was a faction leader. Everything about him screamed Dauntless from his shiny black boots to his military haircut, but what struck her the most were his strange tattoos. Rows of sharply drawn black blocks started somewhere underneath his tight black tee shirt and ran up his neck, stopping at his square jaw. His arms were crossed over his chest, showcasing more tattoos and bulging muscles.

When Tris swallowed she was sure that everyone heard it.

"Welcome to Dauntless," he had said, his tone anything but welcoming.

Tris wondered if he knew that the smirk on his face did not make him seem more approachable. Perhaps it was meant to hide his obvious disdain for their small group of initiates, but it was a look Tris had come to learn from her Erudite schoolmates, along with that Nose attitude. Briefly, she considered the idea that Eric was also a transfer. Looking at him again, enticing teenagers to jump off the roof and into a dark pit below, Tris decided that he was born to be Dauntless.

When he called for the first jumper, the crowd was silent. Even the snooty Candor boy, who had earlier seemed so eager, was silent and staring at his shoes.

The sight sparked something in Tris and made her take that step forward.

Now Eric's eyes were on her, scanning her plain gray clothes with amusement.

"Me, " she said breathlessly. She came forward, leaving the crowd behind as she pulled her arms out of the itchy gray jacket she wore.

"Yeah Stiff, take it off!"

Tris recognized the voice of the Candor boy and turned back a little- to shoot him a glare and throw her balled up jacket at his face. It hit home with a satisfying thump.

"We don't have all day, Stiff."

She turned her attention back to Eric in disbelief. Even after leaving Abnegation it seems she would never escape the nickname.

Still angry, Tris eyed Eric as she approached him and the ledge. What surprised her the most was his apparent youth. From the back of the crowd, she never would have guessed, but Eric was not much older than herself.

She stood in front of him finally, pausing to meet his eyes. They were striking- a blue so light it was almost colorless, with tiny golden specks around his pupils. His skin was pale and clear, save for a few small scars on his face. With his romanesque features, his entire face lit up with a wolfish grin and Tris swallowed hard again.

She stood in front of him, and had never felt smaller or weaker in her entire life. The top of her head didn't even come to his shoulders.

"Well?" His voice was quiet this time, as if he were speaking only to her.

Tris could only nod as she pulled herself away from his intense gaze.

Turning her attention to the task at hand, she held her chin up high and climbed up onto the ledge.


	2. 2

Tris let out an animalistic growl as she opened her eyes. The blinding white light forced them shut again and she realized several things at once.

She had lost to Edward.

Her head hurt worse than she had ever experienced.

And she was in the infirmary.

Suddenly, she was seething. She wasn't mad at Eric or Four, she wasn't even upset with Edward. She was angry with herself.

She hadn't been near good enough to win. Her opponent had thrown her around the mats like she was nothing. How could she have beaten someone who towered over her, who was more than twice her weight?

With as small grunt, Tris raised her arm and gently laid it across her eyelids. The cool skin of her forearm felt nice against the swelling if she didn't push too hard.

"You're up. "

She knew his voice, didn't have to look to see her visitor.

She could still see the image in her mind, one of his back as he walked away and left her bleeding on the floor in front of jeering initiates.

"And your voice is the first I get to hear. Lucky me," she mumbled, loud enough for him to hear.

"Tris-"

"I'd like to rest now. Please leave, Four."

She heard light shuffling that she attributed to his departure and groaned inwardly.

It wasn't Four's fault, she knew that. She hated so much that she put herself into this position. Everyone must believe their suspicions to be true. At the moment she felt like everyone was right. Here she was after her first fight, bruised and lying like a Stiff on a board.

Four... he had given her hope, but he was wrong.

Her friends earnestly assured her that she would make it through training, but she didn't believe them. They didn't even believe it themselves. Tris had thought Four was different than the rest with that no nonsense stare and the way he touched her abdomen in training, showing her where to draw her strength from. Then again when he stopped her on the way to the mats with something that might have been concern in his voice. She believed him when he said that she could win.

 _Strike fast. Watch for his tell. You can do this._

It hadn't been enough, not nearly enough, but Tris could not hold Four responsible for her humiliating defeat. Perhaps everyone was right about her.

Tris heard the sound of heavy boots on the floor and sat up in sudden anger and frustration.

"Four, I said-" She trailed off, wincing against the light, but able to see clearly enough to tell that her visitor was not Four. Despite the pain, she held her body tense, unsure as to why Eric would be in the infirmary.

"Brought you an icepack, " he said cheerfully, holding it up to show her.

"Why?" She eyed it with suspicion.

He didn't answer her at first, but held down one of the buttons on the hospital bed, raising the incline to a near sitting position.

"So that I could have the pleasure of informing you, Stiff, that you are now placed dead last." He took her shoulder in his free hand and pushed her roughly back into the mattress.

Tris bit her cheeks to steel herself against the pain, and forcing herself not to react. He was baiting her, something she noticed he did to the initiates quite a lot.

It was hard to meet his gaze without feeling the urge to snap at him. Tris found it nearly unbearable and she allowed her eyes to move downcast

and away from his, only doing what she had been taught to do for her whole life.

Startled, the girl pulled away from the sudden sensation of the ice pack against her cheek.

Eric pushed her back with only a little less force than he used the first time.

She sighed quietly and closed her eyes for a moment as he as applied the ice pack to her skin once again. He was pushing too hard, making her bruises throb uncomfortably, but she would not show him her weakness, as she suspected he was acting purposefully.

"You'd better get real good, real quick, Stiff."


	3. 3

Thanks for the love guys. I have all ten scenes written (I've been staring at them until I hate them) and a one shot that is for mature audiences only. Will update as my data permits. Yes, I'm writing on my phone.

xxx

Today, she would fight Myra.

Tris practiced throwing hits at the punching bags, growing frustrated that she couldn't force the heavy bag to swing much. She wasn't going to be given the time to improve her physical strength by much, if at all. If she was going to win, to make it through initiation, she would have to find a different way.

Strike hard. Strike fast.

That was Four's advice, but throwing her weight behind a few quick strikes wouldn't be enough to defeat her opponent. She was easily the smallest of the initiates, even among the girls.

If Four had really wanted to help, he should have taught her the best way to take out an opponent that was larger. The thought brought a feeling of bitterness that she hadn't expected.

Tris watched Christina out of the corner of her eye as she practiced. The girl was of average build, but she appeared to be a lot stronger than Tris had initially thought. _She_ seemed to have no trouble making the bag swing on its chain with arced, but powerful hits.

Tris rolled her shoulders to bring relief to her tense muscles as she tried to force her attention back to her own punching bag.

It wasn't easy, as her mind was running a thousand miles per minute, even before the door to the training room opened. Usually she wouldn't have paid much attention to such a small detail- except for the heavy footfalls of boots on the floor. The distance was too far to be sure, but Tris could have sworn his eyes were already on her as she turned her head in surprise of the new arrival.

Ever since he had found her in the infirmary, Tris had become hyper-aware of Eric's presence. Even before she spotted his looming hulk, the sound of his footsteps seemed to echo in her ears.

Four appeared to speak with Eric, looking none too pleased to see him in the training room. Tris looked away quickly. She didn't want either of them to catch her staring, but she especially didn't want to attract the attention of Four- she couldn't stand to see the pity in his eyes. The way he looked at her as if she were on borrowed time made her feel uneasy.

Before she was caught slacking, Tris turned her attention back to Christina, who practiced beside her. _She_ seemed to have no problem making the punching bag swing with every hit, even if her stance left her left side unguarded. It would be easy to get in a few quick hits before Christina could protect herself, but Tris knew that didn't mean she would win. Likely, a solid hit would only push the girl back and force her to reevaluate her poor stance more quickly.

Frustrated, Tris wiped the sweat from her brow and took a few moments to fix her blonde ponytail and to catch her breath. Small tendrils had escaped and were sticking uncomfortably to her skin. As she worked, Tris casually watched her friend practice and considered how to hurt her the most in a sparring match.

The nose hurt a lot, Tris had found that out yesterday. Her eyes had watered so much that she couldn't see.

Being hit in the gut had knocked the wind out of her.

But for all the pain she had taken, nothing compared to becoming staggered- so off balance that she couldn't form a single coherent thought to protect herself. That had been her undoing in the match against Edward and Tris decided that it would become today's lesson.

She would have to move more quickly, learn to evade the hits from her opponents more swiftly. Edward had punched her in the jaw during their match and that was really the last thing she remembered. The resulting bruise was not dark, but it ached badly.

She suddenly snapped out of her musing as heavy footsteps became louder. Eric was headed in her direction, snapping at a few of the transfer initiates as he passed.

Hurriedly, Tris gathered the loose pieces of her hair and twisted it into a messy bun. The last thing she needed was to have points deducted for slacking off. She finished up with a deep breath to steady her nerves, as the sound of Eric's footsteps stopped directly behind her.

It was impossible to ignore him, but Tris did her best to show indifference and focused instead on her punching bag. Her perfect form and fiercest punches would do little to sway the heavy bag and she couldn't help but wonder what Eric would say in response to such a display of obvious weakness.

Before she could move into position, he stepped up to her side, effectively blocking her sight of the rest of the training room. His presence was looming enough to make her pause, tentatively turning her gaze upwards. She braced herself for the criticism to come, but couldn't imagine how she had irked him before she had even begun.

"What were your duties in Abnegation?"

"What?" Confused by his question, Tris broke another rule. She usually knew better than to talk back to the trainers; Christina had forced enough laps on the transfers the first day to teach them all to keep their mouths shut.

Eric did not repeat himself, but raised a pierced brow in wait.

"Kitchen work. Cooking. Feeding the factionless."

At this, Eric nodded, eyeing her bare arms. She warmed under his gaze, cursing her Abnegation upbringing for the blush on her cheeks. She had taken to wearing cropped tights and a plain black tank top for training, it kept her cool and didn't hinder her movements. Getting used to showing so much skin would take some time. Though her outfit was not revealing by Dauntless standards, Tris found herself becoming uneasy under Eric's gaze and it took a significant amount of willpower not to cross her arms across her chest in defense.

"Well? Show me what you got, Stiff," he motioned to the punching bag. Tris met his eyes briefly, noting the steely indifference that she was used to, not only from him, but from the Abnegation. If she was honest, Eric's eyes were a little comforting after seeing her failures reflected in Four's eyes all morning.

Tris held back a sigh, knowing that she hadn't magically improved on the last thirty seconds, so her display was just as she expected it would be- pathetic.

She drew every bit of strength she could muster from her core, but all her strength and determination did little to sway the punching bag she practiced with.

"Stop," he commanded, taking another step towards her. With only the corner of the room behind her, Eric blocked Tris from view completely with his massive form.

She obeyed, panting slightly as she fell back, a look of irritation on her features. She knew what he was seeing. Tiny Beatrice, thin as a board and weak as a newborn. Why did she leave Abnegation for the warrior faction? She must have known she would never make it.

It took a moment for Tris to realize her face was twisted into a scowl, and still lingering on Eric. She dropped the expression immediately, fearing he would make her run laps until she couldn't go on for insubordinance.

Surprisingly, he didn't look angry. On the contrary, he looked somewhat amused with the ghost of a smirk on his lips. He took another step closer to her, probably knowing that she would hate it.

"You're not going to be a good fighter. You're too weak." He spoke as if it were fact and Tris didn't argue with him. He reached his hand out suddenly, encircling her bicep with embarrassing ease.

Tris found that she couldn't move, even as Eric brought his other hand to her face. Grabbing her chin, he tilted her head to better see the yellowing bruise on the side of her jaw.

She let out a gasp of surprise at the feeling of his calloused fingers on her face.

"Here," he said, pushing lightly at her jaw. She became rooted to the floor as he ran his fingers up to her ear, then across her brow. His hands were rough, but his touch was gentle enough to tickle her sensitive skin. "To here. Maybe you'll have a chance if you can disorient your opponent. Try closer to the eardrums."

"Why are you helping me?" The words spilled from her mouth with a suspicious tone before she realized it and she could only wish to take them back.

"Your shoes are one size too large, a loose fit will slip you up," he continued as if he hadn't heard her. His fingers dropped down to her jaw again, lightly pressing at her bruise. They lingered for four beats of her heart, as if he wanted to see her thoroughly breathless and confused before he let his hand fall away.

Tris returned his stare with a blank expression, and couldn't help but to wonder what was going on under those steely eyes. He watched her with a clinical disinterest, giving nothing away as his gaze ran over her body.

"Remember your breathing. In a fight, the loser will be winded first."

It took Tris another moment to realize that she had been holding her breath in those suspenseful moments. He didn't comment when she let it out with a noisy _whoosh_.

When his eyes settled back on her own, Tris felt the heat of embarrassment rise in her cheeks.

"I'm not helping you. You have to help yourself, Stiff."


	4. 4

Peter complained under his breath about the physical labor, but Tris didn't mind.

Honestly, she didn't think it was such a bad way to spend a Saturday morning. The sun was warm and the Amity sector always smelled like apples in the fall.

Tris could only struggle with one fifty pound sack of grain at a time, but no one was in a hurry to load the trucks. Even the older Dauntless members were taking the time to enjoy the weather. They were watching lazily as some of the initiates competed to see who could carry the most weight.

A few of them burst out laughing when Uriah collapsed under the weight of the four bags he had been trying to carry. Tris smiled as he yelled for Marlene to quit laughing and help him up.

Christina and Will were tailing each other, laughing and flirting in an obvious way, which left Al to trail Tris so closely that he was beginning to grate on her nerves.

It wasn't often that they got to leave the compound and she wanted to enjoy it in solidarity, even it was just loading supplies from Amity. After being crammed into one room with ten other people for the past few weeks, she craved solitude. Tris just didn't have the heart to say anything to Al because whenever she looked at him he seemed so happy. Her Abnegation upbringing had left its mark.

She huffed as she threw her grain sack onto the bed of a waiting truck.

The wind began to move the trees around them and Tris smiled as it blew strands of her hair around her face. Growing up Abnegation, she had never gotten to feel the wind whipping her hair around. In fact, she hadn't even left her bedroom without her honey blonde hair pulled into a tight bun. Today, her long hair hung loose around her shoulders as testament to her new life in Dauntless.

It was a simple freedom, but freedom nonetheless.

Her musing was interrupted suddenly as a heavy force hit her from behind, knocking Tris to her knees in the dirt.

"You really can't help yourself, can you Stiff?"

Peter kicked venhomently at the bags of grain on the ground as Tris scrambled to her feet.

As much as she hated Peter, she attempted to swallow her pride and apologize. The collision had mostly been her fault, as she had distractedly stopped in her tracks to enjoy the weather.

"Listen," she began, but was quickly cut off as Peter suddenly shoved her back to the ground, on her back this time. Unprepared, she gasped as she hit the dirt again.

"No, you listen," he snarled, pacing furiously as if he wanted nothing more than to beat her into the ground. "Why don't you do everyone a favor and get out of here? We both know you're not going to make it here. And don't worry, your crooked parents will be joining you in the factionless sector soon enough."

Before he knew it, Tris was up and diving at Peter's knees without a single coherent thought in her head. She took him by surprise, successfully knocking him to the ground. Other initiates and surrounding Amity began yelling, but she couldn't identify a single voice out of the confusion. Her attention was focused solely on Peter while she sat on his chest, furiously trying to hit him as he guarded his face with both arms.

Suddenly, a strong grip closed around her waist from behind and she was pulled off of Peter and left swinging at the air for a moment. She kicked her legs and tried to escape, but her strength was inadequate against her captor.

Tris was forced to give up the struggle and gasp for air when strong arms squeezed the breath from her lungs.

Slowly, she became aware of the familiar tatooed arms that were around her and she froze at the sight. One arm was around her waist, one over her chest from shoulder to shoulder, even as her breasts heaved while she struggled for air. The worst was that she was pressed directly into him, every inch of her backside against his hard body. No one had ever touched her so intimately and her face grew hot.

Over stimulated from the adrenaline, Tris shuddered at the feel of his breath on her ear when he spoke, his voice more dangerous than she had ever heard.

"Done?"

Tris nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

When he released her and she regained her senses, Tris felt nauseated as she wondered if she was going to be made factionless. She didn't need to look at Eric to know she was in trouble, it had been apparent in his voice.

"Finish up," he commanded loudly to the initiates. "Get the loading done and report to Max. You have ten minutes. "

They scrambled into action, even a reluctant looking Peter. Tris was pleased to see that his nose was bleeding.

When Eric was satisfied that his orders would be followed, he nodded once in approval. He did not speak to Tris as he walked away, but she followed him with downcast eyes, still shaking with the surge of adrenaline.

Once a month the Dauntless brought several of their trucks out to the warehouse the Amity used for storing excess crops and dried goods. Today was meant to be a routine trip to the Amity sector and back, but it seemed nothing ever went smoothly when you were in Dauntless.

Tris struggled to keep up with Eric's long stride as she tried to think of an excuse for her actions. She certaintly couldn't place all the blame on Peter. Though he had been the one to shove her first, Tris didn't even have a scratch on her to claim self defense.

Too soon, Eric stopped at a small door on the side of the warehouse and motioned for her to enter first with an impatient wave of his hand. She didn't like the idea of having Eric behind her again, but there was no time for protesting as he shoved her inside the doorway.

The room turned out to be an office of some kind, with one big desk and two small chairs beneath a hanging ceiling light. Filing cabinets lined the back wall. There were no windows.

As Eric closed the door behind them, Tris rooted herself to the ground so she would not be tempted to shrink away from him. It did not comfort her to see his face so expressionless, Tris had learned weeks ago that he had a terrible temper and could snap in an instant.

"So." Eric spoke evenly, as if he weren't angry with her at all. He crossed his arms over his chest and Tris couldn't help but to take in the bare flesh on display in front of her. It was common practice to get tattoos and display them, but Tris suddenly felt awkward looking at Eric's. His veins were bulged out against his tense muscles and Tris thought the sight seemed like it should be... private.

"I was provoked, " she spoke stiffly, her eyes still on his tattoos rather than his face. She didn't want to look up and see that condescending stare he often used to make her feel both nervous and angry.

Her lack of attention turned out to be a mistake when Eric suddenly took one long step forward and caught her in his grasp again. She froze as his fingers tangled into her hair against her scalp, effectively holding her in place with just one of his hands. The gentle pressure of his other hand on her hip was almost mocking.

"Do you think that makes it okay? We're in _Amity_ of all places," he hissed, tightening his fist in her hair. Her eyes began to water, but Tris refused to react to the pain. To ignore his blazing eyes, she stared at his forehead and tried to pretend that this was a normal, every day occurrence.

In response, Eric pulled her towards him by pulling her hair until she gave in and stumbled closer. She found herself pressed up against him again, much as they had been just minutes ago.

She gave in and looked into his eyes, knowing that's what he wanted. He wore the stony mask usually reserved for his leadership role, chin set and eyes cold. It left her confused, unsure of his intentions.

To her relief he released most of the pressure he was putting on her scalp, though he didn't let go completely. She trembled against him slightly, but didn't know whether it was in fear or adrenaline. She took a moment to breathe and steady her pulse.

"What am I supposed to tell Max?" He was so close that she could feel his warm breath on her own lips, even smell his aftershave.

With Eric's scent dulling her senses, it took her a few moments to process the question. She responded with the first thing that came to mind.

"Tell him I'm on my period. Hormonal."

That was the first time she ever heard Eric laugh. It burst out of his mouth quickly, unconsciously.

The sound was much softer than she would have guessed. She grinned as he stepped back, realeasing her in surprise.

"Stiff..."

"Don't worry, "she stopped him, trying to appear more brave than she actually felt. "I won't tell anyone that you're human."


	5. 5

Just a reminder that these scenes are from an AU where Eric is also training the initiates. I've also made it so that physical training continues after Phase Two begins. If anything is confusing, I'll be happy to explain.

I want to thank you reviewers. I find it much more bearable to re-type thirty pages of text on my phone when I know people are enjoying my writing.

xxx

Tris scowled when Eric called out to her. She had known it was coming, but her facial expressions seemed to have a mind of their own these days.

She had been sitting in the hallway, dreading her turn in the room where she was going to begin the second part of initiation with _Eric_ watching her. She had been trying to avoid his gaze recently, hoping to escape his notice.

It didn't work, obviously. He was singling her out more than anyone in the group. Physical training was a living nightmare with Eric constantly pointing out her mistakes, forcing her to spar with _him_ to show everyone the proper technique. Often, he left deep bruises on her body during these "demonstrations". He wasn't afraid of throwing her around the mats, wasn't afraid of hurting her, and Tris was making frequent trips to the infirmary.

Among the transfers, Eric wasn't known for his patience, but rather how easily he inflicted pain with his words as only a Erudite could. When Tris learned that Erudite was Eric's faction of origin, she was not surprised at all. He constantly threw around sarcastic comments with words nobody understood, and he was ecpecially quick with jokes and slurs putting down the Abnegation.

"Stiff, you're next."

He probably didn't even know her real name.

The last to be tested, Tris rose from the ground and made an effort to keep her face clear of emotion. She held her head up high as she passed him and entered the room.

There was nothing to it, just a machine with computer screens and a chair identical to the ones used for her aptitude test. A lump formed in her throat at the sight of the room. She was going into another simulation.

Tris turned to ask Eric a question, but found herself startled by his closeness. Rather than meet his eyes, Tris rushed to take his cue to sit. She relaxed slightly as she sat down in the examination chair, grateful to put a little more space between herself and Eric.

The small room seemed impossibly tiny with the both of them and the equipment squeezed into it. Eric seemed to take up the whole room with his massive presence, leaving Tris feeling slightly claustrophobic.

Still avoiding his gaze, Tris looked anywhere else, finally landing on his thick, tattooed arms that she often found herself admiring when she could get away with it.

She saw the injector in his hand, but that wasnt why she flinched. Tris stiffened involuntarily at the invasion of her personal space as he reached towards her.

"Relax, Stiff." Eric laughed shortly with no hint of humor in his voice. "Let's just get through this in time for lunch, alright?"

Tris bit her lip in irritation. Lunch wasn't for two hours.

He reached for her again and she looked up in surprise as his fingers brushed her ear. He had brushed the hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear.

"Hey!" Tris cried out in surprise rather than discomfort. Eric hadn't jabbed the needle into her skin, but slid it in easily with a practiced hand. She met his eyes, noting the indifference behind them. She was thankful for it, as it was easier to question him when his eyes weren't glazed over with his hatred of her. "What's going to happen?"

He shot her a look of annoyance before turning to the device in his hands. She watched his long, pale fingers dance over the screen, which apparently responded to his touch.

"It's just like your aptitude test. Let's see how brave you really are, Stiff."

She sighed at his weak explanation, while fighting to keep her eyes open. It was difficult, as her eyelids were suddenly so heavy. The urge to rest her eyes was overwhelming, but Tris kept trying to fight it, at least until she couldn't even remember why she wanted to rip the eyebrow ring from Eric's smug face.

 _I am brave. I'm Dauntless._

 _Prove it, Stiff._

Tris heard the voice behind her, but when she turned, no one was there.

She stood on one of the upper level bridges, looking down at the Pit on one side and the chasm on the other.

The rushing water of the chasm was loud in the accompanying silence and Tris allowed herself a moment to appreciate the peaceful rush of water against rock.

That moment was the only one she got because in the next second she was overwhelmed by a feeling of weightlessness as she was pitched over the side of the bridge with such ease that she hadn't seen it coming.

As she fell, she grabbed desperately- for anything, anything to give her some semblance of control.

The scream on her lips died suddenly as she stopped falling with a sudden lurch. By some miracle, she had been fortunate to grab hold of a pipe near the underside of the bridge and delay the free fall to her death.

As Tris gathered her thoughts and looked up, she wished so much that she hadn't.

Above her on the bridge was Eric, baring his perfect white teeth in a wide smile.

"Get up here, Stiff." He was kneeling above her, even leaning down, so she could reach his outstretched hand.

"Y-you pushed me, " she snapped, looking up to the scaffolding above. She braced herself and used one arm to test her reach, but she knew it was no use. The pipe was inches too far. She was completely at Eric's mercy.

Tris let out a frustrated scream, silently thinking that Eric was crazier than she thought if she bothered him enough to kill her and risk the loss of his position.

She stared at his hand, wondering why he even held it out to her. She knew he would drop her the second she released her grip on the bar.

"Give it up," she snarled, meeting his eyes.

"Dauntless never give up," he replied, never losing the bright smile on his lips.

Tris swallowed her rage, becoming more confused with every second she observed the man above her. It wasn't Eric. Sure, it looked like him, down to the smallest detail. The scent of his cologne mixed with sweat was familiar to her, his eyes were that colorless blue that was so mezmerizing. His short blonde hair even had that small tuft near his forehead that grew the wrong way. But Eric did _not_ smile. He was almost always frowning, and when he wasn't Tris would observe a little smirk or a smug expression grace his features during training.

Never a sincere smile.

In fact, the only time she had seen him smile...

In her mind's eye, Tris saw Christina hanging in her place.

She remembered watching Eric's horrific smile as Christina struggled to hang on while he gave an impassioned speech.

 _Dauntless_ _never give up._

"You're not him," she whispered to the illusion above her, suddenly feeling very detached from the simulation.

It felt more like a dream, and Tris knew of only one way to wake up.

"Just get up here, initiate. We don't have all day. "

 _I am Dauntless._

She took a deep breath and let go.

The sensation of falling followed Tris back to reality and she awoke in the examination room with the real Eric.

Tris was grateful that he didn't immediately give his attention to her. It allowed precious minutes to steady her breathing and slow her racing heart. She watched Eric scribble over the electronic screen in his hand with a stylus pen.

"Well, Stiff... That was interesting, " he scribbled notes with such speed that Tris wondered how anyone could read his writing. "I don't know how I'm supposed to score you. You just jumped to your death in less than three minutes rather than trust a Dauntless leader to pull you to safety. I don't know whether to be offended or flattered."

"I figured it didn't matter since it was a sim."

If Tris thought the simulation had been scary, it was nothing compared to the look Eric gave her now. She had never seen him look even remotely surprised before and she knew the shock on his face did not bode well for her.

He froze, hand still suspended over the tablet, mid scrawl. When his eyes snapped up to hers, Tris knew she had made a mistake. She could practically read his mind- _divergent._

She had been foolish to think she could escape unnoticed, not when she didn't have a clue what divergence was or how to hide herself.

Eric recovered from the shock quickly, but the intensity never left his eyes.

"You were self aware? You knew it wasn't real?"

Tris didn't bother to lie, though maybe he expected her to as he waited for her answer with more patience than she thought him capable of.

Finally, Eric nodded at her silence and his eyes returned to the tablet in his hands. She watched his eyes move quickly over the text, reading aloud from the screen in a bored tone.

"What you have just experienced is but one of your fears. As a whole, the simulations make up your fear landscape. In two weeks, you will be tested on this fear landscape in front of a jury of instructors and educators."

He stood and motioned for her to do the same.

Tris realized that she had been gripping the seat of her chair so hard that her knuckles were white.

"You're done for the day," Eric said, regaining his icy demeanor. "Go eat."

"You aren't serious," Tris said, hating the way her voice shook.

"I'm completely serious. Get out of here."

They stood toe to toe for a few moments, both parties turning it into a staring match.

When she finally tore her gaze away, Eric grabbed her wrist before she could move. He tightened his grip painfully when Tris tried to pull away. She expected it and did not cry out.

"I trust you won't speak to anyone about your sim." The way he spoke, it wasn't a question.

"Don't worry, I'll be here waiting when they come for me," she snapped, trying to pull her wrist away, once more without success. His grip would bruise, but Tris has promised herself never to appear vulnerable around Eric.

"Trust no one, Stiff."

There was no hesitation when Eric released her. She bolted.


	6. 6

Thanks reviewers! I totally cheated and just wrote these excerpts to feed my hunger for some _real_ Eris. I have a hard time finding stories that depict Eric as the badass that he is. This chapter is short, but one of my favorites.

xxx

Tris grinned at her friends over the table, forcing the smile that she desperately wanted to mean.

It wasn't that she was particularly unhappy. She was sore and covered in bruises, but content.

She wore the marks almost proudly, certainly not afraid of failing any longer. In the days since Eric discovered her divergence, Tris treated each mistake as a learning experience. She couldn't change the past, so instead she focused on the _now._ With this state of mind, life as a Dauntless initiate had improved drastically, but it was not easy by any means.

The girl was so slight that her smallest opponent outweighed her by thirty pounds and she still struggled during her scored sparring matches. Though she usually took a beating and lost more than half her fights, Tris moved up to a respectable third place on the leader boards.

Her time for the fear simulation with Eric was the best in her class by a huge margin and raised her rating by more than ten spaces.

With these very public results, it seemed pointless to deny her divergence. It might have been too late to avoid detection, but when no one immediately came to take her away from the dorm room, Tris was forced to keep her calm and continue as if nothing had changed.

At the very least, she was determined to pass initiation and earn her place among the Dauntless. Though her days were numbered, she was so close to the end of initiation that she focused on enjoying what might have been one of her last days before she would be killed.

Meals were always casual, but with Uriah at her side it beame dinner and a show. As number one on the leader boards, he was trying to show off his strength. He challenged Will to an arm wrestling match- which became a tournament when Uriah lost the first round.

Tris laughed with the rest, but she felt disconnected from her surroundings, almost as if she were in a dream or another simulation.

The noise in the cafeteria was louder than what would have been appropriate in Abnegation. It was a mix of carefree, happy voices blending together until it created a dull roar in her ears.

She couldn't say that she heard him enter, that wouldn't have made sense with the level of noise in the room.

Tris didn't know what made her turn her head to the other side of the room... The sight made her breath catch in her throat. Eric stood with Lauren at the bulletin board where Dauntless leadership posted news and community events. She caught sight of the fliers in his arms before she quickly turned her attention back to her friends before he saw her looking.

She tried to rejoin the conversation, but she was distracted. So much that she jumped a little when Uriah put his arm around her shoulder.

"What's wrong, Trissy?"

She stared at him in confusion.

"What? What did you call me?"

The group laughed, but none so loud as Christina, her loudmouthed Candor friend.

"Trissy," Christina tested the name on her lips with a huge smile. "It's feminine. I like it."

"I don't, " Tris replied shortly. The boys joined in with Christina's raucous laughter and Uriah squeezed her shoulder affectionately. She smiled a little more sincerely and met his warm eyes with appreciation.She was thankful for his efforts, though she was uncomfortable with his touch.

It had been drilled into her head since birth- _The abnegated do not become dependent on the self indulgent pleasure of companionship._

She did not shrug away from his touch, though it took every ounce of self control that she possesed.

"Hey, Trissy. Lauren said we're having a late start tomorrow," Uriah spoke with a dazzling smile. "You want to meet me for breakfast?"

Accomadating as always, Tris nodded without consideration. It took her a moment to realize the oddity of the situation. Why not address the group? She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, suddenly focused on Uriah's hand. He still gripped her bare shoulder, fingers too close to her breast for comfort. She opened her mouth to protest, but his arm fell away before she could make an excuse.

As she looked around the table, her friends faces clued her in that something was wrong. While Will looked calm and serious, Al's expression made her sigh. There was only one person who scared him like that.

"Early morning tomorrow, Initiates, " Eric barked, startling Tris enough that she jumped to her feet. "I'm filling in for Lauren and we will be starting an hour early. Make sure you get a quick breakfast... Trissy."

She watched his lips twist into an obnoxious smile as he stared directly into her eyes. She didn't miss the amusement behind them.

"Thanks," she hissed sarcastically, hopefully too quietly for her friends to hear their exchange. "I'll be sure to do that."

He wore a lopsided grin that might have fooled others into thinking he meant well with his friendly reminder. Tris knew better. Eric didn't do anything if it didn't benefit him in some way.

Her days of being the submissive Stiff were over, Tris told herself as she faked a smile for Eric. He knew her deepest secret and had the power to destroy her. Maybe he had already turned her in to Leadership and her days were numbered. Maybe he was waiting for solid proof. Either way, she mused that there was nothing more to fear from him because there was nothing else he could do to her.

With her friends watching, Tris was forced to bite her tongue. Eric would have loved to reprimand her in front of everyone.

Casually, he leaned in closer and bent down to speak in her ear.

"Sorry you have to miss your breakfast date, Trissy."

"I'd much rather spend time with you anyways," she whispered back harshly. If anything, his grin became wider as he stepped back and away from her.

"Get some rest, Initiates. Be ready to work."


	7. 7

"Stiff. "

Eric barely looked up when he finally called her name.

Last to be tested. Again.

Her heart beat faster with every step she took toward the simulation room, finally becoming deafening as she was forced to pass Eric and squeeze through the door, careful not to brush up against him.

As she took her seat, Tris wondered if she would have had the courage to enter the room again had Eric not treated her with the courtesy of avoiding her eyes this time.

Not only was she scared of what results another simulation might bring, she was nearly too embarrassed to look Eric in the eye after yesterday's sparring match.

She had lost badly in her fight against Drew, losing the upper hand as she made eye contact with her arrogant, smirking, and irritating trainer. She only hesitated for a few seconds, but it was enough for Drew to get through her defenses and land a furious jab to her face- blackening both her eyes in the process of breaking her nose.

"Ouch," Eric winced theatrically, as he finally looked up. His pierced brow was raised in amusement as he looked over her injuries. "I figured that would leave a mark, but that is one impressive bruise. Props, Stiff."

She narrowed her eyes in a weak glare, but remained silent. Mostly because her head was already throbbing, though the pain was dulled from the meds the nurse had given her.

Eric chose not to comment on the dirty look she gave him, but he looked pleased with himself. Almost as if waiting for her to complain, he gripped her shoulder with one of his huge hands. As he had done the other day, Eric brushed the hair away from her neck with the other, tucking it behind her ear.

Tris bristled uncomfortably at the skin to skin contact, but kept quiet. His calloused fingers were rough against her flesh and they lingered for much too long after he injected her with the fear serum to be appropriate.

"Try not to show off today, " Eric muttered, finally removing his hand from her shoulder. His expression was neutral, but Tris thought she might have seen concern flash across his features for the briefest moment.

"I do not _show off,_ " she hissed in disbelief. Even with the overwhelming desire to close her eyes, Tris felt her temper flare. Of course she had only imagined his concern. Eric was only happy when others were completely miserable.

"Have it your way, Stiff. Can't say I didn't warn you."

The serum was beginning to take effect, though Tris fought it at first. Her vision was blurred, her guard was down, and for a moment she just appreciated the calm feeling that she barely ever experienced. She imagined it was what becoming drunk felt like.

"Eric..." Tris sighed, gently rubbing her eyes to keep them open a few moments longer. "I don't know how..."

 _Careful, Tris._

The sensation of suffocation consumed her as a rough material was thrown over her head. Everything had gone dark and every muscle in her body trembled with fear.

She screamed in pure terror, clawing at the burlap sack in a desperate attempt to remove it. Her senses were useless in the dark and Tris couldn't help but to scream shrilly. She couldn't see, couldn't breathe.

Her hands tore at the sack, finally removing it after a short struggle. She ripped it off and threw it to the ground, fists at the ready and prepared to confront her attacker.

She was not prepared for the reality.

Trapped. Inside of a glass box.

She slid her hands over the glass in confusion.

It was completely smooth. No doors. No breaks in the glass at all.

Who had attacked her? She was completely alone.

But that wasn't quite true.

The glass box was centered in the middle of the Pit, which was bustling with activity as usual.

There was Tori, flipping the sign to 'closed' and locking up shop for the night. Her eyes passed over Tris, seeing her, but not reacting.

Christina and Will were laughing and shoving each other playfully with the same distant look in their eyes, as if they couldn't be troubled by the sight of their friend trapped inside of a sealed, glass box.

Max was standing at the railing of the overlook with Jeanine Matthews. She looked strict and Erudite as always, with her expensive haircut and navy blue painsuit. Out of the crowd that was gathered, she was the only one who would meet Tris' eyes.

With a quick burst of noise that startled Tris, her glass prison began filling up with water, which was being pumped in from a pipe in the bottom corner of the tank.

She stood, gaping at the water for a moment as it quickly rushed in and soaked her boots. The speed with which the water rose moved her into action. Tris did the only thing she could think of-

"Are you all crazy?" The girl screamed, using both fists to pound on the glass with all her strength.

If she had to guess, the crowd of spectators were suddenly drawn away to what could have only been the announcement of chocolate cake with dinner. Some ran towards the cafeteria. Uriah skipped with his arm laced through Christina's, leaving a dejected looking Will to trail behind them.

Max spoke to Jeanine Matthews, but her gaze never left Tris, even as she waved her hand in a polite dismissal.

Tris screamed again, this time in rage and acceptance of the hopeless situation.

They couldn't hear her.

No. They didn't care.

Not quite ready to give up, she rammed her shoulder into the glass as hard as she could- once, and then again. She lost count as she lost her footing and went down hard in the water.

It burned her eyes and nose and she spit out a mouthful of water as she struggled to her feet again.

 _Trust no one._

With one last look around the Pit, Tris caught sight of Four's retreating back in the crowd of Dauntless.

She began to pound on the glass with her fists again, screaming obscenities as she stumbled and took panicked glances at the rapidly rising water.

Too soon, it was up to her chin, freezing cold and rushing in so fast that she was fighting the force of the water just to remain standing.

In another moment she was forced to abandon her pathetic attempts to escape in order to propel herself above the water for air. She managed to take one deep breath before gravity pulled her under.

The panic she felt was short lived. Under the water, there was nothing but darkness and the sound of rushing water. It dulled her senses and calmed her fears.

Suddenly, it didn't seem like such a bad way to die.

She would go quickly and peacefully. Alone.

Completely submerged, Tris could appreciate the darkness. Instead of the laughing faces of her friends, she saw only her own reflection mirrored in front of her.

She thought of her friends, of how they might gather in the Pit and Max would give a speech in her memory.

 _To Tris! We envy the adventures she will face in the next life._

But they wouldn't mourn her. The Dauntless would cheer for the opportunity to drink in excess- chasing whatever grief they felt into the oblivion of alcohol, and leaving it there.

"Trust no one...

When she spoke, her mirrored reflection did not move its lips.

 _This isn't real..._

Gently suspended in her watery tomb, Tris tentatively placed a finger on the glass. It was simple now that she wasn't being pushed around by the current.

The tiniest crack appeared under her finger.

Encouraged, Tris continued to tap her finger against the glass and watch the crack grow larger. It resembled a spiderweb now, and she could hear the walls groan in protest of the pressure against them.

In the end, the only person you can depend on is yourself.

With the next hit, the box shattered and Tris was pulled out onto the concrete with the rushing water.

Gasping, she forced her eyes open and awoke in the examination room.

Her nose burnt, not from lingering effects from the simulation, but because of the thick, white smoke that filled the tiny room.

Tris jumped to her feet quickly, wondering at the source of the smoke. It was acrid and smelled almost... electronic.

Before she could turn around, he was there, grabbing her shoulders roughly and turning her to face him. When she tried to pull away, he only held her tighter.

"You have got to be the most _stupid._.." Eric trailed off with a laugh, though his jaw was clenched as he did.

"What happened?"

"The machine malfunctioned. You'll receive a zero for the day-" She made a noise of protest and again tried to wiggle out of his grip.

"I'll be in last place!"

"I'm trying to save your life, you stupid bint!"

Hearing those words come out of his mouth, Tris froze and considered them for a moment. She knew it wasn't true, but the crazed look on his face told her not to argue.

Apparently, her silence was not the answer Eric desired. He shook her in frustration, not enough to hurt her, but enough to frighten her.

Tris froze, still as a statue as she stared at Eric with huge eyes.

She still shivered with the cold sweat from her hallucination, though she realized that she slowly absorbed Eric's body heat with only the whisper of space between them. Her shoulders were warming under his hands and the heat was spreading.

"Meet me on the roof after curfew tonight."

"Eric-" He released her from his grip and she whimpered at the loss of warmth. It took longer than she would have liked before she recovered any poise. She felt helpless to deny him, too scared to argue while she felt so alone and helpless.

"Go. Trust no one."


	8. 8

This was a pain in the butt to write, but it's necessary for the "plot". I feel OOC. Is it bad? Ugh, at least it's smutty sailing from here on out. There will be another short and then it's time to wrap this up- with a total of eleven chapters. I hate odd numbers. Sigh.

xxx

Tris arrived on the roof early, as planned, so that she would have time to gather the courage she needed to face Eric.

She paced, unable to calm her tensions as she waited for him, or perhaps the ambush that awaited now that they had proof of her divergence.

It was official, Tris thought, kicking at the gravel that littered the top of the crumbling building- she was done.

She couldn't believe that for all the warnings she had been given, no one had taught her how to hide her divergence.

 _You can't tell anyone, Beatrice. Not your friends, not even your instructors..._

 _You shouldn't have come to Dauntless, they'll find you here..._

Some advice.

Her instructor had discovered her secret so easily, and now he had the ammunition to bring about her demise.

The fact that he asked for a late night meeting on the roof puzzled her to no end. What was he playing at? How could she even begin to trust Eric? He had been nothing but ruthless in her time with the Dauntless, and he didn't hide the fact that he hated her weakness.

Tris was breathing heavily with anxiety, peering around the rooftop, perhaps keeping an eye open for an attack.

She couldn't say exactly why she came to the roof at Eric's behest. Every part of her brain was screaming for her to run- not just to her dorm, but away from Dauntless. To leave it all behind, just to survive.

Her heart pounded against her chest almost painfully, but she kept her feet rooted to the ground in defiance of her cowardice. Her stance was unsure, but she was determined to hold her ground.

The girl huffed and forced herself to take a seat on the ledge of the building. Below was the gaping hole in the roof of the compound that was only used as an entrance on Choosing Day.

Occasionally, Tris found herself coming up here to enjoy the heat of the sun or the wind on her face. Her lightly tanned skin was very un-Dauntless of her, but she didn't care. Never in her life had Tris been allowed to do something so selfish as to bask lazily in the sun.

Too soon, she heard the heavy door to the compound open with the grinding of metal against the concrete floor.

His boots crunched against the gravel as he approached, and Tris did not have to look back to know it was Eric behind her. Maybe he thought it was out of a misplaced sense of pride, but in truth, she didn't look because she didn't want to face him.

Tris repeated a silent mantra to herself, pleading with her nerves to stop shaking before Eric came close enough to see how truly afraid she was.

"I'm impressed, Stiff. You actually showed."

She glanced to the side as he took a seat beside her on the ledge, doing a double take in surprise. He must have just showered because his hair was damp and dishelved instead of slicked back. It hung just above his eyes and she observed the drops of water that still clung to his blonde strands. She was overwhelmed by the smell of the same soap that still lingered on his skin in the mornings.

When he sat down, Eric had left such little distance between them that Tris had to force herself not to move away. Their elbows brushed and their thighs would touch if Tris unclenched her muscles.

"Eric-" She started to complain about his proximity, but stopped short at the glare he sent her way. Though he might look slightly more human, Tris reminded herself that it was still the same asshole who had made her life hell. She pursed her lips, deciding not to risk challenging him. She knew from experience that, if pushed, Eric could become hostile easily.

As much as she despised Eric, she admitted that a teenage girl would be hard pressed to complain about the view before her.

Over the last few weeks, it had become increasingly difficult to separate her true feelings of Eric from the thrill her teenage hormones gave her when he was around. At some point they had begun to blur together and they became impossible to separate and even more impossible to ignore.

On occasion, Tris found herself disappointed when Eric would ignore her in favor of the other initiates, though she knew his attentions would never be in a positive light. She couldn't deny that she enjoyed the thrill he gave her during their interactions, even more so when he blatantly ignored her personal space... Whether his intentions were to annoy her or intimidate her, Tris wasn't sure.

"Your results for the aptitude test. Don't lie to me," he warned, narrowing his eyes.

Was there any reason to deny it?

"Abnegation. Dauntless. And... Erudite."

"Erudite- really? Maybe the test really is flawed."

To her intense shock, Eric came dangerously close to a smile, with a look of pure amusement on his face.

"Jealous?" She snapped with a glare of her own, consequences be damned. "Worried I might be smarter than you?"

"I'm sure that's not the case." He chuckled as if she had told him a joke, his face still creased with humor at the idea that someone might be smarter than himself. "My own Erudite result and success in Dauntless should be testament to that." She nodded as he admitted the truth that she had often suspected.

"No surprise there, You're a brilliant leader..." She held his gaze and let him come to his own conclusions about her words. The sarcasm in her voice was hardly noticable. Honestly, Tris didn't think his Erudite result made Eric any less Dauntless. She certainly didn't belong with any of the other factions she had shown an affinity for.

"According the the scoreboards that will be posted in the morning, you are too. Number one."

He spoke so casually that it took her a moment to comprehend his words.

Her mouth fell open in shock.

"W-what?"

He leaned in closer to her, speaking into her ear with barely more than a whisper.

"You have no idea how to hide your divergence. None at all."

Now that it was out in the open, it was more than just a dangerous notion in her head. Tris felt an odd sense of relief at hearing the word spoken aloud- one that didn't make sense as it was her life at stake.

She allowed her filter to fall away and asked the question that had been haunting her every waking moment since her very first sim.

"Why haven't you told on me?"

He was expecting this question, she could tell by the way he laced his fingers together and set them over his lap. He answered her question with one of his own, speaking in the cool tones of detachment.

"Do you know what happens to your kind once you're caught?"

She shook her head, wondering if there was a fate worse than death for those unlucky enough to be divergent.

"Well I do... And I think you would be much more useful alive. Here with the Dauntless."

Tris watched Eric with no little amount of suspicion.

"You're trying to say you won't let them kill me."

His responding expression of pity told her that wasn't quite it...

"I can't stop them if you're caught," he said with a softer tone than she was used to. It was so surprising that she almost didn't notice when he gripped her knee with a large hand. Her heart pumped furiously at the contact, and she was left trying to draw in enough air to breathe properly. "Another mistake like tonight and you might as well jump from the chasm yourself. I can't cover for you again."

"Cover for me- but what did I do? I don't understand..."

Eric sighed heavily, running a hand through his damp hair. Tris watched a few drops of water fall on his black tee shirt around the neck.

"Think of your fear landscape as the aptitude test. If you get Dauntless as a result, you get to live."

"And if I don't? "

"Just trust me, you don't want to know."

"So what, I just let myself drown?" Her voice became snappier, her frustration becoming more obvious as she thought about her most recent sim.

"If that's the only option. But do it with dignity." He stated into her eyes as he gave her knee a firm squeeze. As she took in his advice, Tris did not feel the urge to complain about his touch.

She wondered at the heat that blossomed inside of her body, radiating from the pressure of his hand on her leg. Tris searched her thoughts for something to say, anything that might distract him from the red blush on her cheeks.

"Thank you... " It came out as a soft whisper, but she knew he heard it. They were so close now, shoulders and thighs touching now that they had somehow closed the small gap between their bodies. Tris realized her elbow rested on his leg from leaning into his warmth.

"Just... just keep your mouth shut about this, I have an image to uphold."

His face was stony again and he spoke so seriously that Tris wasn't sure if he was joking or not. Regardless, she laughed a little and was relieved when Eric gifted her with a rare smile. Tris was struck by his boyish charm, the small dimples in his cheeks, and the row of perfect white teeth behind his full lips. The whole effect was more than a little startling.

Honestly, she wasn't sure if she was intrigued or terrified.


	9. 9

Tris had hoped so badly for the hall to be deserted as she left Four's apartment, but luck was never on her side.

"Stiff?"

That one word spoken from familiar lips made her blood run cold and she froze, hand still on the doorknob. It looked awful, she had known it would. She, an initiate, walking out of her trainer's apartment at five in the morning. Wearing his huge sweatshirt no less.

She spun around to face him, but was unprepared for the genuinely angry expression on his face. She had never seen the depths of his temper- usually Eric dealt with everything using sarcasm and Erudite words that no one understood.

"You could become factionless for this," he growled.

"Eric... " She paled at his words and grabbed his arm with both of hers out of desperation. "No, listen-"

She was completely unprepared for the painful sting she experienced as he pushed her hands away, shaking his head.

"I never took you for an easy lay," he snarled, moving in on her until she was pressed against Four's door with no where to run.

He took another step forward until their chests were pressed together. He left no room between them and Tris was startled by the way Eric's chest heaved with his suppressed rage.

It was hard to hold his gaze during the best of times, but now Tris found it to be utterly unbearable to face the coldness in his eyes. She looked away, turning her face to the side.

He growled, much like a rabid animal, as he took her chin in his hand and forced her to face him.

"Number one," he scoffed, burning her with his gaze.

"It's not like that! Four isn't even here," she exclaimed, pushing back tears. "I just... needed a place to sleep."

After nearly being thrown into the chasm last night, Tris was tired and ill equipped to deal with Eric. She felt the tears well in her eyes and knew Eric saw them too.

He softened a little, proving that he was human after all. His breathing slowed some, his grip on her chin became gentle. In a moment of pure insanity, Tris cocked her head so that Eric cradled her face in his giant hand.

She carefully watched for his reaction, but he allowed the contact with a look of consideration. Still trying to quiet her tears, Tris found that she enjoyed his warm touch- it was a small comfort after Peter had put his clammy hands all over her last night.

"Too good for your dormitory now that you're number one?" He nodded his head slightly towards Four's apartment. His eyebrow was raised again and Tris released a breath she hadn't realized she held. She drew in a few deep breaths before continuing.

"I... I had a fight with some of the other initiates. I just didn't want to let my guard down around them."

Surely, a soldier like Eric could understand that much.

"They run off with your shirt too?" He glared at the sweatshirt she wore as if it were offensive.

"No, but they ripped it. I didn't feel comfortable with..." She trailed off, feeling his rough fingers stoke the dark bruise on her cheek she had received last night.

He believed her and the relief she felt was palpable.

Eric didn't look angry anymore, but there was a strange slant to his eyes that she had never seen before.

"Who," was all he said.

"I don't know."

He allowed her to look away, but took his hand away from her face, perhaps in retribution for her obvious lie. She had decided last night that no good would come from revealing the identities of her attackers. Edward got stabbed in the eye and was now living half blind and factionless. Tris shuddered to think about what would happen to her if she angered Peter further.

"You can't lie at all," he told her. "You look to the left and your voice rises in pitch."

"I still don't know," she replied, lifting her chin in defiance. She expected a fight, but didn't get one.

"Fine." Eric nodded once, looking like the emotionless leader once more. "Where did this altercation take place? I'm going to be really irritated if you lie again."

"By the water fountain closest to the chasm... I don't know exactly when. Four came by-"

"Yeah, I got it. Number boy showed up and saved the day." His eyes flashed a warning and Tris backtracked.

"He left for a shift in the security office right after. And I'm leaving before he returns..." She wasn't sure why she had to tell him those details. Maybe so he knew she had done nothing inappropriate to earn her training score.

The words seemed to satisfy Eric in some way. He nodded, perhaps he had been concerned about the same thing.

"Good. Stay away from the chasm." He had made the switch to his leadership persona and began to walk away. "Oh, and Stiff? That sweatshirt looks ridiculous."


	10. 10

_Rated M for smut. If you are underage, I'd warn you off- but I know better. I remember being a teenager, long ago as it might have been. Ain't nobody tellin' you what to do, right?_

 _AN- Apologies friends, these next chapters did not have to be copied onto my phone for upload and therefore they did not go through the rigorous proofreading and editing that the rest of the series did. If you have any complaints (or compliments?), I'm all ears. Sort of. My lovely boyfriend broke my phone AGAIN and I'm currently without internet. Thank god for the library, huh?_

 _On a lighter note, I want to thank **Eitan** for consistently reviewing. It's you I'm thinking of as I drag my agoraphobic ass out of the house just to update this story. _

_xxxx_

She looked around her new apartment and smiled for once. It felt wonderful.

Tris knew she had made the right decision on choosing day. She was brave. She was Dauntless.

"Congratulations, Stiff." His voice had an odd quality to it, but Tris could never think clearly when Eric focused his gaze on her. She'd be lying if she said Eric wasn't attractive. All the girls thought he was, even though they agreed he had the temperament of a neanderthal.

Maybe if she hadn't been so relaxed, if she had been prepared for him, if he didn't stare at her so intensely…

When Eric pressed his lips to hers, Tris did not think. She would be lying if she said she had never wondered how his lips would feel. She was not disappointed- he took her breath away.

He gently bit her bottom lip and she found herself becoming limp in his arms. Not sure what to do, but desperate to feel his mouth against hers again, Tris tentatively touched her lips to his. He obliged her wish at once, quickly becoming more demanding as he ran his hands down her back and found bare skin at the hem of her shirt.

When his fingers dug into the skin of her hips Tris tightened her arms around his neck and Eric kissed her until she was breathless. She tried to keep up with his desperate pace as her senses came alive in ways she had never experienced in her short sixteen years.

It felt so wonderful that Tris didn't immediately object when she felt his hands on the bare skin of her stomach. Under her shirt, he stroked her skin so softly and tenderly that she allowed him to make his way closer to her breasts without much of a fight.

"Eric-" He cut her off with another demanding kiss, just as his fingers brushed against her nipple through the thin fabric of her bra. "Eric, stop," she gasped, jolting at the shock that his touch sent through her. The resulting shiver wasn't unpleasant, but Tris still found herself trying to push him away. He held her tight, not budging as she pushed uselessly against his chest.

He pushed the small girl back onto the mattress with one quick shove and climbed over her before she had time to react. Going straight into a panic, Tris tried to scramble away until Eric pulled her back and pinned her arms above her head.

"What's wrong?" He asked, gently pressing his lips against her neck. "Aren't you Dauntless?"

She whimpered underneath him as she caught sight of her terrified face reflected in his dark pupils.

How could she save herself from someone who was so much larger?

Her options were limited, with her arms being restrained. She didn't need to test his grip. She knew she was no match for his strength. She would only be able to use her legs to attack. Even then, she had an extremely limited rage of motion with his legs on either side of her.

 _Oh._

Without a second thought, Tris pulled strength from the very core of her body and raised her knee, slamming it directly into Eric's groin.

She heard his grunt of pain, but didn't look back as she scrambled out from under him. Almost gracefully, she rolled off the bed and onto her feet, panting heavily and holding her fists at the ready.

She faced… Four.

"You're safe," he told her, pushing her back into the chair with his hand on one shoulder.

Her skin tingled and she gasped for air, nearly hyperventilating from the residual effects of her fear landscape, the final examination that she had prepared for so thoroughly.

A sim.

It had been a stupid simulation. A new one that she had never experienced during training.

Her blood suddenly turned to ice as she caught sight of movement across the room. Several people in Erudite blue were talking quietly to Max, taking glances at her. She didn't recognize many faces, but Jeanine Matthews was one of them.

"Everyone saw?" She asked Four with increasing dread.

"Only the people in this room." She didn't miss how he wouldn't meet her eyes.

"Great. That's really great."

She stood, suddenly more angry than embarrassed. Let them think what they wanted, she had just shown a dozen people her worst fears in excruciating detail and she didn't even understand them herself.

Now she was Dauntless. She was done.

Without being dismissed, Tris left the room and sought somewhere that she could be alone in her humiliation. This was harder than she expected- the compound was bustling on the final day of initiation with traffic in every corridor. She had no bedroom of her own and the dorm was busy with initiates packing their belongings. There was only one place left that she could think of that might be abandoned.

The stairwell to the roof was dark and drafty, but Tris didn't care. She stopped at the landing instead of continuing to the roof, slid her back down the concrete wall and stretched her legs out in front of her.

Tris had been told that the contents of their fear landscapes would be kept confidential, but she had to wonder if hers would warrant further investigation. Would the leaders suspect that she was involved with Eric or just view her hallucination as the product of a scared teenager's imagination?

Surely they were at least laughing at her- the Abnegation transfer who would squeak in fear over physical contact with a man. The fact that her trainer had been the man in her sim was only a small part of her complete humiliation.

Either way, she was ashamed and just wanted to hide in the dark stairwell forever. The thought of facing Eric made her cheeks red again. Even if he hadn't been present for the examination, Tris knew how the Dauntless gossiped.

Nothing about the situation was funny, but Tris laughed out loud, trying to picture what his expression would look like when he heard.

He would probably put his hands around her throat this time, for embarrassing him so badly.

How she wished no one had ever seen it. It's not like she had control over how her fears manifested themselves.

A lot of people were afraid of Eric, and not just initiates. He was massive and loved to intimidate others for his amusement. Ignoring Eric was impossible since he seemed to make it his duty to make her life difficult at any given opportunity. Even in public, he always found a reason to put his hands on her, often leaving bruises in his efforts to scare her. In private, it was worse.

She dreaded finding herself in moments like these, where Eric would find her alone. She would feel his touch linger for hours afterward, smell his cologne on her skin. He invaded her space and got inside of her head and Tris had to wonder why he focused his attention on her. His gaze was always so intense that she couldn't think, just like in the sim.

Maybe it wasn't so crazy that he would appear in her fear landscape.

When he touched her, it made her heart pound and it became difficult to draw her breath. It felt like fear, but Tris knew she wasn't afraid of him. She didn't honestly believe Eric would hurt her. He was just an overgrown brat who couldn't keep his hands to himself. Her racing heart was a product of the uncomfortable situations he forced her into.

There were so many questions that it was impossible to quiet her mind. Still, Tris much preferred the chaos in her head to letting the debilitating humiliation consume her.

How could she possibly explain… How could she answer any questions about her fear landscape when she didn't understand anything herself?

And Eric…

She laughed quietly and closed her eyes. Unbidden, memories of her simulation came to her mind in sharp detail. His hands had been warm and felt so good against her skin. Almost as if it were real, Tris felt his soft lips again and touched her own gently.

Maybe she had already lost her mind. There was no denying that she was physically attracted to the youngest leader of Dauntless. She was always hyper aware of his presence and instantly knew when he would walk into a room. Sometimes she looked at him and thought about how full and perfect his lips were, especially for a man. Or she would catch sight of bulging muscles and wonder how much time he spent training. A part of her was dying to touch him in a more personal way, though she had been planning to take that secret to the grave.

It was a small fascination of hers, interacting Eric. Growing up in Abnegation, Tris hardly ever spoke with the opposite sex and they certainly wouldn't touch her so intimately. She realized he only did it to scare her, but she had no control over the emotions he awoke in her with his touch and his intense stare. It was new and confusing and scared Tris so badly that she wasn't really surprised that her fear landscape would depict her wariness of men.

She jumped to her feet as she heard the door at the bottom of the stairs creak open.

It was dark in the stairwell, but Tris would recognize the sound of those footsteps anywhere.

"So, this is where you're hiding?"

"I'm not hiding," she snapped at the voice before he even came into full view. She tried her best to stand tall and proud, but was still dwarfed when Eric stood in front of her. She hated how much she had to tilt her head to meet his eyes.

Reflexively, she took a small step back to put more space between them. For once, he didn't force himself on her. His eyes were intense, as always, and settled on her own.

"What do you call it?" He raised one pierced brow, mocking her.

"Avoiding," she muttered, forcing herself to keep his gaze. She wanted to cross her arms, but she knew Eric would take it as a sign of weakness. He was like a predator, if she made the wrong move, he would pounce.

"Would this have anything to do with your examination?"

She frowned a little, unable to help herself. There it was then.

If it wasn't for the amused smirk on his lips, Tris thought she might have given in to the urge to run. Facing Eric now was something she hadn't been prepared for and she didn't know how she could explain. It helped that he wasn't angry, but she was still flushed with embarrassment.

His arm moved suddenly as if he were going to touch her and Tris flinched. When she looked up again he wore his own frown. His brow was furrowed, almost as if he were confused.

"I'm sorry." It was all she could think of to say.

"You're going to have to do a little better than that, Stiff." Not missing her sudden panic, Eric shook his head. "Leadership doesn't care. This is between you and me."

"Eric, I..." She trailed off, still not sure what to say. "I don't know what that was about, really."

He stared at her, still not satisfied. "You're scared of me."

"I'm not." Tris shook her head in defiance. "I'm not scared of you."

Maybe she should have just told him what he wanted to hear. Looking at his expression, Tris knew that he did not like her answer. He would have to try harder to intimidate her, probably.

With the wall at her back, Tris was trapped. It began- her heart started to race, it became hard to breathe and her legs felt weak. Eric noticed all of these things, she was sure. He moved slowly, stepping forward until his body was against hers. Even more slowly, he took her wrists in his hands and held them above her head.

"I think you're lying," he whispered, leaning close. The feeling of his breath on her neck made Tris shiver.

She remained statuesque, as she always did when Eric accosted her. He had never taken such liberties before and it was difficult enough to remember how to breathe. The combination of being trapped under those hard muscles she had just been thinking of and his breath tickling her skin made Tris swoon.

"You won't hurt me." She sounded more bold than she felt.

Eric was surprised for a moment, but recovered quickly. "You're such a Stiff," he laughed softly, but Tris didn't understand why. In another moment, he pushed his body against hers completely, until she felt every hard muscle under his shirt against her front, and nothing but the wall at her back, sufficiently holding her. Some sick part of her wished her hands were free so that she could touch him. Most of her was completely terrified.

His face was so close that Tris could see every detail. Every line, every scar, the stubble on his chin and the golden flecks in his clear blue eyes that she often lost herself in.

She found herself staring at his lips, remembering how soft they felt in her sim. Tris wanted him to kiss her so badly, but her body trembled with a fear that she couldn't ignore.

She had to be crazy.

"Please let me go," Tris whispered. She hated how weak her voice was.

To her surprise, his grip on her wrists loosened. He still moved slowly, sliding his rough hands down her arms and then her waist, to rest on her hips. She allowed her arms to fall back to her sides, but it did not escape her notice that his body still pressed her into the wall, holding her far more effectively than his hands around her wrists.

With a huge grin, he leaned down to whisper in her ear again. A lump formed in her throat at the feel of his hot breath on her chilled skin.

"Very interesting sim. I thought you were hot for Number Boy."

"No, I..." What was she going to say? That she found Eric much more attractive than Four? "That's none of your business."

If Eric saw how scared she was, he ignored it. She felt her breath catch when he brought one of his hands to her face to hold her chin. Tilting it up, he forced her to look at him.

He looked more emotional than she had ever seen him, and it made her head swim. The way he watched her was intense and Tris was reminded of his predatory instincts. She held completely still, even as he came dangerously close. His nose brushed hers first, so softly that she momentarily forgot that she was afraid.

She watched him come closer every second, but was still shocked when Eric finally pressed his lips to hers softly- then again, harder.

He did it again, then again, each time with more force until she responded with equal fervor.

It was nothing like her sim- it was so much better. His lips were soft and pouty and felt like electricity against hers that moved her hands and body into action. Her hands ran over Eric's neck and back, tightening in appreciation of his tense muscles against her touch. Doing his own exploring, Eric dug his thumbs into her hips and she moaned into his mouth before even realizing it.

Tris couldn't form one rational thought, she just knew she was desperate to feel more of him. Breathless, she reached out for support and wrapped her arms around his neck. She felt his smile against her mouth as she forced her lips against his, their teeth clashing in the heated moment.

At the moment, it didn't matter that Tris had no experience with men or kissing. She was so gone that it was like second nature to kiss Eric, so easy that she didn't have to think. She was so focused on the feeling of his mouth that she was hardly aware of how her back was flat against the wall again and the brick scraped her skin where her shirt had ridden up. His roughness made waves of pain and pleasure course through her, but she never thought to stop him.

Eric was the first to pull away, as breathless as she, but with a smug grin spread across his face. He didn't give her a chance to recover before lowering his head again, to her neck this time. She held on tighter to him and gasped quietly when she felt his mouth on her. His lips felt like silk against her sensitive skin and Tris could not help the way her body quivered from the sensation. When she felt his teeth softly pinch her skin, she dug her short nails into his the flesh of his neck in surprise.

The resulting growl that escaped from Eric's lips shook Tris to her very core. There was something primal about the sound and she didn't have to see his eyes to know that he wasn't pretending. He made that desperate sound because of _her_.

Without warning, he bit into the flesh of her neck so hard that she was sure it would leave a mark. She gasped, but made no move to stop him as his tongue slid over the bite and soothed her tingling skin. Roughly he worked his way down to her collarbone with flicks of his tongue over the places he had bitten and Tris could only concentrate on holding him tight enough that she wouldn't fall to the ground on her trembling legs. She couldn't describe why, but she loved his attentions and the way his teeth against her skin made her entire body respond. She might have said his name in heat of the moment, but she couldn't be sure.

It didn't even occur to her to stop him when she felt Eric's hands on the bare flesh of her sides. He squeezed, gently at first and then forcefully pushed her back into the wall. It was only when he covered her body with his that she began to come back to reality. There was a huge bulge against her stomach that was impossible to ignore. It poked into her belly with every movement Eric made and Tris wasn't so ignorant that she didn't know what it was.

Her body tensed from the feeling of Eric's arousal and he felt it- his lips paused against her skin and he slowly slid his hands back down her sides before letting them fall away.

Suddenly, he moved back, leaving just enough space between them that they weren't touching. Her legs were weak and Tris was embarrassed by the way they visibly shook. She attempted to regain her composure, even smoothing her hair with her hands. It took her much longer to slow her breathing.

"You are scared of me," he told her, slightly breathless as well. She noticed the way his eyes darted down to her lips. "Just not in the way you think."

Tris could hardly argue. Her cheeks burned as she thought back to her sim. It was pretty obvious that her fear landscape wasn't difficult to understand at all.

"Why did you come here?" She asked, her voice just above a whisper. His grin fell slightly, but he recovered quickly with a teasing wink.

"Just congratulating our number one initiate."


	11. 11

_Rated M for smut._

 _AN- This was supposed to be the last one, but… I changed my mind. Though the entire series was written to be wide open to interpretation, I started to imagine a bunch of pissed off readers and typed up an alternate ending last night that might give you closure. Hope you all enjoy reading as much as I did. Please share your thoughts with me. I'm particularly interested in your opinions of Tris' character. Eric's character was written with little thought to canon, as I've read so much fanfiction that I'm quite positive that Eric is really a beastly blonde sex god. Most seem to prefer Jai Courtney's character to the one described in the books anyways. Including me- I don't go for men with long hair._

 _xxxx_

Tris had been so focused on making it through initiation that she never considered what would happen when it was _over_.

What was her calling? What kind of job did she want?

The girl pushed her food around on her plate and sighed. There was no one she could turn to for advice, not really. She suspected that her friends were still not entirely pleased with her rapid rise to number one and to come to them with this problem would be unsympathetic. She knew she should feel lucky, having such a long list of options, but she only felt lost.

Some careers sounded appealing, but were not entirely realistic.

Tris would have liked to become a tattooist- in an alternate universe where she might have possessed even a hint of artistic talent.

Learning the duties of a medical assistant sounded especially interesting- but she hated everything about hospitals from the sterile environment to the overwhelming feeling of hopelessness.

At the moment, she would have bitten the bullet and apologized to Four, just to be able to ask for his advice, but she assumed he was still avoiding her. Not that she could blame him, after the show she had given at her final examination. Though she had never promised him anything, never tried to make him think there was a future for them, Tris figured even the most level headed guy in the world would be confused, even angry, after recent events. It was the night Eric had confronted her on the roof about her divergence- In a moment of recklessness, driven by the fear of discovery, she had kissed Four and she couldn't take it back, no matter how badly she wanted to. She could imagine his surprise as he watched the monitors and saw how Tris had so easily accepted Eric's attentions- simulation or not.

Several times a day, Tris found herself regretfully thinking of Four, of the kiss she had shared with him, and she found herself sighing with discontent. It had been a mistake, even though she had very much enjoyed it at the time. Four was definitely attractive and she was no longer a Stiff who had to avert her gaze. He made her heart race when he stared at her with those intense eyes- so dark they might have been black instead of blue if you didn't look closely. She had been grateful for his help during initiation, even more so when he scared off her attackers by the chasm. She had watched him during training, paying too much attention to the tattoo on his back, that just barely came past the neck of his shirt. But ever since she had kissed him, his intensity and possessiveness overwhelmed her and Tris often had to remind herself that she had priorities other than her disastrous romantic life to attend to.

It was a difficult thing to forget, especially now, after Four had watched Eric appear in her fear landscape in a very intimate way. The two Dauntless men hated each other with a passion Tris didn't understand and she was suddenly sure that Four may never speak to her again. At the time she hadn't considered that she might owe him an explanation, but now it bothered her to know that he was actively avoiding her.

Because of a stupid hallucination that she had absolutely no control over.

Growing irritated, she sighed and rose to dispose of her lunch tray. She knew the way to the leadership quarter and her feet took her there automatically as her mind wandered.

Being angry with Four was really only distracting her from the real problem- her choice of career in Dauntless. She was supposed to meet with leadership right after lunch and she had no idea what to tell them.

Christina and Will had decided to join the compound guards and Tris thought she might too. She was better than either of them with firearms and it seemed like a safe decision.

Certainly better than working nights in the security room as Four would have likely suggested.

She was annoyed as she thought of Four again, unable to forget the way he stormed out of the cafeteria earlier, pretending not to see her. Tris decided that she didn't owe him anything. It was his decision to completely avoid her, as if she had actually done something wrong. They had kissed _once_ before he had pulled away, he could hardly claim ownership over her subconscious.

So why did she care if he wouldn't meet her eyes? Why couldn't she forget about the wounded look on his face the last time she had seen him?

She was coming up on Max's office, but frowned when she found the door closed. It was always open when he was seeing appointments. Gingerly, she knocked on the wooden door, wondering if he was preoccupied.

"You're with me, Stiff."

Startled, Tris jumped slightly as Eric appeared in the doorway of the office behind her, looking calm and stoic as always. She blushed at the sudden memory of the last time she had seen him, when he had kissed her in that dark stairwell. For the sake of her sanity, Tris had almost immediately dismissed his behavior as a play for control and tried not to dwell. It was much harder to do than she had expected, even now that initiation was over and she hadn't seen Eric in days. The memories of his touch, from both reality and her simulation, stuck with her, mostly plaguing her mind as she tried to fall asleep in her new apartment.

He was staring at her, arms crossed over his chest and he looked impatient.

"I'm meeting Max." Tris shook her head, frowning at him in confusion. She glanced back to the closed office door as if it held an escape route.

"Change of plans. Come on." A flash of annoyance appeared on his face and Tris resigned herself to defeat. Her heart was beating so hard that she was sure Eric could hear it. The corner of his lip curled up in a smile as she passed by and entered his office. She wiped her sweaty palms on her pants while Eric turned to close the door behind them.

It wasn't like Max's minimalistic office at all. Most of the walls were filled with bookshelves that were filled to the brim. She saw encyclopedias, textbooks, even a large set of hardbacks that looked like it might have been world history. Tris couldn't help but to smile. It was what she imagined her brother's room might look like in Erudite.

"Something funny?" He asked her, motioning to the seat in front of his desk.

"No," she muttered, suddenly appearing to be interested in his shiny black boots. She expected he would then take his seat, but it seemed that Eric lived to surprise her. He just leaned against the desk where he was, enough to the side that she didn't feel pressured to meet his gaze.

Recently, Tris had decided that she did not like Eric's eyes- they were too strange, almost unnatural with the spattering of gold flecks in his light blue irises. It had been after her fear simulation that she realized how uneasy they made her. Sometimes, she would dream of him, as she had become prone to do since the experience in her fear landscape, and she would wake up clutching her chest because her heart was going absolutely crazy. She would shove her face back into the pillow in an attempt to forget the way he watched her. His eyes made her feel like he could see straight through her mind into her thoughts. It was a laughable idea, but Tris found that her thoughts rarely made sense where Eric was concerned.

"Max says you don't want into leadership. He thought I might be able to change your mind." 

She was so surprised that she looked up from the ground, but stopped her eyes before they traveled too far. She focused on the large vein in his neck that was partially under his leadership tattoo. It didn't take long for her mouth to dry, and Tris found herself wishing to touch him again, to feel the steely muscles of his abdomen beneath her fingers. Her cheeks reddened again when she realized where her thoughts had so easily taken her.

"W-why would he think you could change my mind?" Tris recovered quickly, once she had looked back down to the carpet.

She heard him scoff. "Come on, Stiff."

She had an idea that it had something to do with her fear landscape, but she would have swallowed her tongue before saying so out loud. It would be very much like Max to use her fears against her. She hadn't really thought he had given up since the Dauntless leader had made it a point to press the issue almost every day since the final examination.

He had been personally impressed with her scores.

Dauntless needed a leader with her skills.

Not pursuing leadership would be a waste of her talents.

She had heard it all over the past week and shot him down each time.

"You've got to be kidding," she muttered before even realizing that she spoke aloud. Tris shook her head in disbelief at this new tactic, silently thinking that she had to give Max credit for effort. But she would not change her mind, not even if Eric held a gun to her head. She was happy just being a part of Dauntless, she didn't want the responsibility of leading them.

"I know things are different where you're from, Stiff, but you don't look at the ground when leadership is speaking to you." His voice was calm and patient for the moment, but she could imagine what would happen if she refused. Tris had really hoped he wouldn't pull that stupid leadership card. He often acted like a spoiled brat, always used to getting his own way. She wouldn't call him a bully exactly, but he liked to flaunt his position to make sure things went his way.

She steeled herself to meet his eyes, but surprised herself by finding them much less intimidating than they appeared in her dreams. Still, she wasn't imagining the sharpness behind them. She knew Eric was smart, being from Erudite. Maybe smarter than others gave him credit for.

"So," she began carefully, ignoring her quickening pulse. "You think you can convince me to join leadership."

"I know I can," he replied shortly. She watched his lips stretch into a wide grin and didn't miss how his gaze fell to her neck for a moment, where the bruises his teeth had left were finally light enough that she had begun to wear her hair up again. Here in his office, under bright fluorescent lighting, Tris realized her mistake. Eric saw the light bruising and offered her a wolfish grin. The way he looked at her again was hardly appropriate, but he seemed pleased with his effect on Tris.

Her breath caught in her throat and the intense desire to run was suddenly overwhelming her senses. She had to comfort herself with the thought that he wouldn't really hurt her. But he would always remember if she fled from his office in terror after one minute alone.

"I'm listening," Tris managed, begging her nerves not to shake. She was well practiced in appearing braver than she felt, but her trembling fingers often gave her away.

"Good. But first you're going to tell me something. And you're going to look at me when I speak to you." He paused, waiting for Tris to focus her attention again. "It's not a hard question. Just give me one reason that you don't want to join leadership. One reason, and I'll leave you alone and tell Max to do the same."

She waited a few moments, sure that there had to be a catch. It was too easy.

"I… I don't like the politics," she settled on Four's reasoning to steer clear of leadership.

"I asked for a reason _you_ don't want to join, not why your boyfriend says you can't," Eric snapped at her, a scowl appearing on his previously gentle features. She knew that Four and Eric hated each other, but it was amazing how quickly one would become hostile if you mentioned the other.

"He's not- Nevermind, it's a valid reason, Eric," Tris assured him, careful to speak loudly enough. If he sensed she was frightened, he would take advantage of it, she knew.

"An original one, then."

"You want me to give you a reason you've never heard before?"

"No, just one that I've never heard from Number Boy before."

Tris chewed on her bottom lip, reaching for a suitable reason to tell him.

Why didn't she want to join leadership? What was stopping her?

Tris thought of her family, of Marcus Eaton back in Abnegation having a quick lunch with her father before their next Faction meeting. She tried to picture their faces as they walked into the meeting room, only to find _Tris_ , the new leadership trainee from Dauntless.

The very thought put a smile on her face and made her giggle out loud.

"Inter-faction relations," Tris said suddenly, still grinning. Eric only watched her, probably wondering why the girl was laughing to herself. "I don't like them."

"Me neither. So?"

"What do you mean? That's my reason!"

"Really. That's what you're going with?"

Tris quickly grew frustrated and her light smile became replaced with a confused frown. The way he watched her in amusement made her blood boil, as if the most important decision of her future was _funny_ to him. She stood up to face Eric. It was much easier to look him in the face as he sat on the surface of his desk rather than stand. He never lost the glint in his eyes as she stepped closer to him.

"My reasons, whatever they might be, are really none of your business."

Now that she had spoken, Tris expected him to react negatively, probably aggressively. He didn't like to be challenged and she knew that very well.

Always surprising her, Eric remained calm and simply watched her with a patience she hadn't thought he'd be capable of. It was really more unsettling than if he had glared. At least then, she would have known what to expect from him.

"Alright. We thought you might be difficult to convince. I thought I might explain the many _benefits_ of joining the leadership route." He straightened to his full height in a slow motion, maybe more dramatically than needed. She waited, feeling her throat become dry as he stepped closer than she was strictly comfortable with, but Tris didn't immediately panic at the action. An apology was on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed it. Maybe a Dauntless leader deserved an apology, but Eric certainly didn't when he treated her so subserviently. He shuffled a little, almost looking resigned as he ran a hand through his hair.

"You should know, Max gave me permission to use whatever means necessary to get you to accept the position."

"You won't hurt me," she told him quietly, but Tris said it for her own benefit. One corner of his mouth lifted into a smirk, as if he knew this. He took one more small step forward and she suddenly felt the edge of the desk against her lower back. He had systematically trapped her and she hadn't even realized. At that moment she realized his intention, even before he spoke.

"You keep saying that. But that's not even why you should be scared."

His fingers brushed lightly against her hip and a gasp escaped in her surprise. Even through the fabric of her pants, his touch made her skin tingle. She was certain that her fingers would be shaking if she would unclench her fists.

 _No_ , Tris thought she spoke out loud, but she wasn't sure. In any case, it made no difference because Eric crashed his lips down onto hers with so much force that her knees buckled. She might have lost her balance, if not for the desk behind her and his tight grip on each of her hips. She struggled a little in his hands, even managing to pull her lips away long enough to gasp for air, but it didn't take long for Eric to convince Tris to give up the fight. When his thumbs dug into her hipbones she groaned in appreciation and protest, giving Eric all the opportunity he needed to shove his tongue into her mouth.

The sensation was brand new and much too overwhelming. She was helpless to fight him off at the best of times, but now, with the feeling of his tongue sliding over hers, her brain was mush. She had seen the Dauntless kids make out like this by the chasm, but Tris averted her eyes, never imagining that she would experience it for herself.

And with Eric… He seemed so much larger than her, so much older and more experienced. Just his touch was enough to make her feel small and dainty, even more than she usually felt, but she found that it didn't bother her. With a reckless abandonment, she eagerly rose on her toes to give him better access and threw her arms around his neck for support.

His grip must have eased up at some point because Tris realized his hands were moving down her hips when she felt his long fingers slide over her backside. She didn't even have the sense to panic before his fingers moved on and found purchase in the flesh of her thighs. He was so rough that his touch bordered on painful, but Tris did not want him to stop- she wriggled in his arms again, but it wasn't to get away from him this time. She rubbed her thighs together, wondering at the sudden pulse between her legs. It was a deep ache, but almost a pleasant one. The friction of her thighs did little to ease it.

Eric bit her lip suddenly and her eyes flew open in surprise.

He was breathing heavily, his face hovering just above hers.

"Trust me," he whispered, brushing her lips with his own as he spoke.

Tris nodded, realizing that she probably would have promised him anything he wanted at that moment, as long as he didn't let go of her. Nervously, she tightened her grip on Eric's neck and almost sighed at the way his eyes fluttered in response. She didn't really understand it, but he seemed to enjoy the feeling of her fingernails digging into his skin. He lifted her off the ground suddenly, holding the back of her legs with his huge hands and sitting her on the desk top before she could even miss the ground beneath her feet.

She froze suddenly when she felt Eric standing between her legs, the hard muscles of his waist firm against her most private area. He was pressed against her more intimately than ever and Tris suddenly feared he would feel the pulse between her legs that was now as strong as her own heartbeat.

If he did notice, he apparently chose not to comment, instead focusing his attention back to her lips. Tris responded halfheartedly, feeling frightened, though it was difficult to ignore Eric when he so aggressively demanded her attentions. He growled and kissed her relentlessly, pushing her to respond to him like before, but she was frozen in fear, staring at him with wide eyes when he pulled away with a growl.

"Eric-" 

"Trust me," he cut her off with a breathless whisper against her cheek. "I won't hurt you, remember?"

For once, his hands were gentle and he slid them up her arms with a lightness that made goosebumps appear on her skin. She watched them move over her bare skin until he reached her shoulders and paused there, fingers spread over her small neck. His face lowered to hers again, so slowly and deliberately that Tris found herself eagerly awaiting the contact. She closed the distance, gentle and unsure of herself, but Eric had never had a problem with taking the lead.

If she was honest with herself, he was so overwhelming that it was hard to focus on only one point of anxiety. She was still aware of the painful ache between her legs and how the friction of Eric's constant movements against her made Tris want to cry out. The way his thumb softly rubbed circles over her jawbone as he kissed her was equally debilitating.

He was trying to be gentle, she could see that. It was obvious by the way his body was so hard and tense, like the human equivalent of a rock, but Tris only realized that he was actively struggling with his self control when he threaded his hands in her hair and pulled. Even as she cried out, his grip tightened near her scalp, painful for only a few seconds before he eased up on the pressure with a groan of his own that was muffled against her mouth.

She felt him try to pull away from her and let out a small squeak of protest. Out of some instinct buried inside of her, she held on tighter with her arms and legs to keep him close. Tris found her legs wrapped around Eric's waist and she was rocking against his body with a desperation that she didn't understand. The way he bit his lip made her sorry that she hadn't tried it sooner.

It was as if the wall holding back a dam broke, and the Eric she knew was back. His hands were everywhere, squeezing, scratching at her skin with his short nails while he pressed her back into the desktop with his huge body. She hissed in response to the sudden shift in position, barely holding herself together as Eric took her hips in his hands again and slid her down his body until his erection was throbbing directly against the ache between her legs.

The gasp that escaped her lips was inevitable, but she didn't know if it was from fear or pleasure. He didn't give her time to protest or struggle, but bit down on her neck while grinding his hips against hers. His movements touched something that her clenched thighs hadn't, the relief was profound and almost instantaneous.

Her breathing was loud now, mouth wide open and unprepared to stifle a very provocative moan that was forced from her lips. Encouraging him, Tris raked her nails through Eric's short hair. He lifted his head from where he had been attacking her neck with his teeth to give her a small grin. It was bizarre to look into his eyes and know that it was Eric between her legs- Eric's erection pressed against her core. Again, it was like he knew what she was thinking. Tris was taken aback when Eric ground into her once more as if to make sure he had her attention. She shrieked at the sudden sensation of his length rubbing against her pubic bones.

Eric was looking at her, but shaking his head again. Distracted, Tris didn't trouble herself with the meaning behind it this time. She panted, feeling her cheeks burn as she summoned the courage to move. Tentatively, she bucked her hips up a bit, gasping when she was able to recreate the sensation.

"What..." Tris wasn't even sure what she wanted to ask. What was that? What was she supposed to do now? She was a hopelessly inexperienced virgin, a sixteen year old girl who would have no idea how to satisfy a man, even one who often acted more like a child than she did. It was her Abnegation upbringing. She knew next to nothing about sex or the acts that led up to it.

With heavy eyes, she watched his expression, noting the mask of smugness that contorted his beautiful features as he took the lead. She didn't even think to suppress the series of small gasps that escaped from her lips as they moved against each other. She ran her hands over his back, scratching and tugging at Eric's shirt every time he would hit a particularly sensitive spot.

A part of her understood now why the Abnegation rejected sexual gratification. It was so easy to tune out the world and focus only on the sensations of Eric's body against her. Every nerve in her body was firing from the stimulation of being touched in places that no one ever had and she never wanted it to stop. She couldn't say the words, but she tightened her legs around his waist, hoping he would understand her meaning.

"Please," she whispered, before she could stop herself, not even sure what she was asking him for. If she had maintained any sense at all, she might have been embarrassed. His thumb was rubbing circles against her jaw again, almost distractedly.

"Points for bravery," he muttered, frowning now. His movements became slower, more gentle, and Tris let out a small whine at the loss of friction.

She wanted to shout and tell him not to stop, but at the same time her mind began to return to consciousness and she was left gaping, beginning to feel the shock of her actions. Suddenly, the erection that pressed against her felt too hard, too big, and unnatural. Eric's face became clear of the lust that had driven him...and she suddenly realized that she was on top of his desk, pinned underneath the young Dauntless leader with his dick between her legs and his hands on her ass.

She kept her mouth tightly closed, not sure what would have come out if she tried to speak and soon closed her eyes as well, so that she didn't have to look at Eric's, so close and so stony. When she released the tight grip of her legs from around his waist with a quiet groan of embarrassment, Eric gently dropped her legs, removing his hands and letting her feet dangle off the ground. When she peeked through her eyes again, he held his hand out to her, offering to help her up.

Not knowing what else to do, she accepted and came to a full sitting position on top of Eric's desk.

His face was completely clear of emotion once more and he appeared to her much as he always did. If it wasn't for the bulge in the front of Eric's pants and the scratches on his neck, Tris might have believed it had all been a vivid hallucination.

She took in a deep breath to calm herself and to keep herself in the present. It would have been much too easy to close her eyes and remember how she had writhed against him so desperately… and she would probably die of embarrassment as the reality of it hit home. She had to wonder how she got herself into these situations with Eric, when she and Four had never come close.

It seemed absurd that she would let Eric cross all of her boundaries- she hardly knew him, and she couldn't claim to be impressed with what little she did know. He was the complete opposite of Four- loud, sarcastic and attention seeking. Probably didn't have one sensitive bone in his body. And she was undeniably attracted to him. So much that she had very nearly lost control and been willing to lose her virginity on top of one of her faction leaders' desks.

If it wasn't for Eric, she probably never would have spoke. He was watching her with amusement in his eyes and a smirk on his lips. Part of her wished she could feel similarly, instead of the guilt that was settling into her stomach like lead.

"Kind of gives the name _Stiff_ a different meaning, huh?"

"Never do that again," Tris whispered, her voice shaking as bad as she expected it would. Her face was hot from his words and she was suddenly overcome with shame. She wanted to run from the office, but she was still seated on the desk with Eric in front of her, effectively blocking the path.

He laughed shortly, but there was no humor in it.

"Come on. There's no one here but us. Who are you pretending for?"

She didn't reply, not sure how to answer his question. She wasn't pretending. She wasn't denying that she had wanted him. She knew it and the idea terrified her, just as it was sure to do to her friends if she ever decided to share it with them.

"Can I go now?" Tris asked quietly, her gaze focused on the other side of the room.

"Whatever. Be here at nine sharp on Monday morning."

"For what?" She asked in surprise, forgetting to avoid Eric's eyes. He had busied himself with taking a tablet out of a desk drawer, but took the time to look up and look at Tris as he responded. She watched the smirk pull at the corners of his lips and knew the answer before he spoke.

"To start your leadership training, Stiff. Try to keep up."

"I never said I would accept!" Tris snapped at him, momentarily forgetting her desire to flee.

"I sent Max an email with news of your acceptance of the position right before you arrived. You were a little late actually, but I won't tell if you don't." He ran his fingers over the tablet, leaving an opening for Tris to jump down from the desk. Her legs were unsteady, whether from disuse, anger, fear, she didn't know. Tris only stared at him, mouth open in shock.

"Y-you can't do that."

"Sure I can. Max wouldn't have approved you for any other job anyway. See, he's replied to my message and is looking forward to seeing you on Monday."

Sense left her completely, Tris fought for the words to express herself, but found none. Her blood was rushing in her ears, deafening her to the world around. Before either of them knew what was happening, Tris drew her arm back and landed a hard slap to the side of Eric's face.

He didn't even have the decency to look surprised, Tris mused. She had never seen him look more smug. He ran his fingers over the place she had struck him, lightly and then harder to test the sensitivity. He seemed to determine she had done no damage and let his hand fall back down.

"Come on, Stiff, you're making me hard again..." Tris huffed in embarrassment and irritation, only slightly appeased by the perfect red hand print on his cheek.

When Eric set his tablet down on the desk, Tris took a large step back unconsciously, and another as he moved towards her again.

"Don't even think about it, I can catch you easily," he warned, seeing her glance to the door.

She huffed defiantly and straightened her spine as he approached her again. Eric did not touch her like she expected, but stood toe to toe, gazing down at her with that stony expression she was so familiar with.

"What is it then?" She snapped, though with a little less bravado than before. She attempted to hold back a glare, reminding herself that the goal was to get out of Eric's office.

"Do me a favor," he began, gently pushing strands of loose hair away from her neck. She allowed him, knowing it would only become worse if she resisted. His hand lingered there and he ran his fingers over a tender spot on her throat where he had bitten her. "Don't tell your boyfriend who marked up your pretty skin. Number Boy will be out for my blood."

Tris closed her eyes, as if she could escape from her reality so easily. She would have to take inventory of her neck and throat in the mirror later. The entire area was tender and burned in places. Tris could only manage a short nod, but Eric was satisfied.

"Good girl." He grinned at her now, his hand still on her throat. "I'm looking forward to working with you again."

(ERICS POV- _Don't screw her on your desk, don't screw her on your desk…_ ) lmfao


	12. 12

_AN- So this one is an alternate ending with a strong M rating for sexual content and (minor) dubious consent. I'm calling this series an exercise in character development and… well, this is where my character development (and perhaps my depressive episode) has taken me. Either way, I hope this chapter meets your expectations. It was surprisingly difficult to write smut with a virginal character and I rushed to write the whole thing last night so I would be able to post today. I'd be eternally thankful if you shared your opinions with me- Let me know how I did with Tris' character in particular._

 _Sorry if dubcon is your squick. I'm a sick person and I think it's hot, so there. We gotta go where the inspiration takes us, and Jai Courtney is damn inspirational._

 _Suggested Listening: Simple Survival, Mushroomhead._

 _What's your name?_

 _Who do you love?_

 _I wanna hate you,_

 _Kill you_

 _Treat you like I've had enough_

 _Gonna make you give up._

 _I wanna see you get up._

 _I said that you're the only one_

xxxx

Tris pulled her pillow over her head and groaned.

She had begun to measure time in minutes, steadying her quivering breaths from under the partial privacy of her pillow, desperate to sleep, if only to quiet her mind for a short time. Just as she was drifting off, a thundering knock came from the other side of her apartment door- showing no signs of stopping after a full minute.

She threw her pillow across the room and suppressed a scream of indignation.

Christina, most likely, come to bother her again about the _lovebites_ that covered her throat. She had questioned Tris relentlessly, becoming almost hostile when she realized she wasn't going to get the answers she wanted. Honestly, Tris wasn't sure that she was capable of explaining- not when she was so confused about the entire ordeal with the youngest Dauntless leader, never mind that she had apparently become leadership trainee against her will. Her mind was a complete mess.

Tris stomped over to the door of her apartment and flung it open, prepared to punch Christina in the mouth for her trouble.

The problem was, it was not Christina who stood in the hallway.

"Eric," Tris called in surprise. She was suddenly very aware of her state of undress- she wore only an oversize black tee shirt that came to the top of her thighs and her underwear. He paused and eyed her bare legs for a moment, before letting his eyes trail up and over her body. Tris crossed her arms across her chest, hiding the peaks of her breasts from his invasive stare, though inadvertently raising the hem of her shirt another half inch up her thighs. He smirked when his gaze reached her exposed neck. Earlier, as she threw her hair into a messy bun, she had been hard pressed to find skin that wasn't covered in bruises and teeth marks from their earlier encounter. He seemed satisfied by the sight of the marks, even pleased. "What are you doing here?"

"Come on," he ordered as he brushed past her and into the tiny apartment. "You don't want the neighbors to see you like that, do you?"

"By all means," she scoffed. "Come in."

He ignored her, taking a few moments to look around her new apartment. In the week since Initiation had been completed, Tris had managed to secure very few personal items and the room was nothing to look at. The only signs that the room was occupied were the scattering of clothes that she had been too angry and unmotivated to put away.

Eric picked up a scrap of clothing from the floor and held it up in front of her with a wide grin.

She snatched the plain black bra out of his hands with a deep blush on her cheeks.

"How do you know where I live?"

His pierced brow rose in disbelief, an answer to her very stupid question. As leader, Eric would have access to any information he pleased.

For once, Tris didn't flinch as Eric stepped closer. Though he didn't touch her, he was close enough that she could feel the heat his body generated. Eye level with his chest, she narrowed her eyes at the sight of his tee shirt pulled taught over the steely muscles beneath.

She was losing her mind. No sane woman would continue to allow herself to be put in these situations- and to _enjoy_ them, no less. Christina was going to freak out when Tris could find the bravery to tell her the truth of exactly who had marked up her skin.

If she was honest with herself, Tris wished she could give in to her baser desires where Eric was concerned- such as reaching out to him, removing his shirt, again feeling the ridges of his muscles that were hidden beneath... exploring his lips again, feeling his hands on her body… even familiarizing herself with his male anatomy. The very thought made the pulse between her legs reappear with a vengeance that took her by complete surprise.

If the smirk on his face was anything to judge by, Eric knew very well what she was thinking.

She took in his expressive features, admiring the male beauty he presented. It was a damn shame that he was so unbelievably irritating.

Even if Tris wanted to give in, sixteen years of living by the Abnegation manifesto didn't just change as easily as she changed factions. Unlike the Abnegation, Dauntless were known for being free with their affections- and sexual contact without marriage was very common. Those in her old faction- especially her parents- would be shocked to see Tris now, behaving like a hellion, getting tattoos, touching a man so intimately outside the sanctity of a union.

Though Tris was no longer Abnegation, she couldn't help but wonder if her mother would be ashamed.

"Did you need something?" She asked irritably, arms still crossed against her chest to hide her breasts from view.

"You could say that..."

She took a step back in response to his step forward and felt the edge of her bed against the back of her legs. When he advanced again, Tris had no where to go.

The scene was eerily similar to the one in her fear landscape and Tris was suddenly sure that she would have to request a different room when she gained the funds to do so.

"Eric, no," she gasped, throwing her arms out to push his chest back. He stood firm and solid, and his muscles did not give under her palms.

"I hate that word," he muttered, taking hold of her wrists and pulling them up around his neck. He eyed her again, focusing on the hardened nipples now visible through the thin cotton of her sleep shirt. His grin only grew larger as he lowered his face to hers.

"Wait," Tris gasped, attempting to pull away. "Eric, wait." He did not relent his grip, but sighed impatiently, still inches from her face and eying her lips hungrily.

"Wait for what?" he asked boorishly.

She paused, unsure of the answer herself. Her legs were trembling and she wasn't sure of the cause; if it was fear or… something else.

"I… I don't want this," she whispered, knowing it to be false.

His lip curled into a sneer and Tris felt his grip on her wrists tighten.

"Liar," he claimed as he pressed his chest to hers. She bit her lip at the feel of him hard against the erogenous skin of her breasts. Their thin tee shirts were hardly a suitable barrier. As if this wasn't enough, he pressed his lips to her neck and allowed his breath to tickle her skin. "Tell me you don't want me."

"I told you," she answered, still whispering because she was afraid of what he would do if provoked.

"Tell me again," he mumbled against her skin, scraping his teeth against the soft flesh of her neck.

 _Oh god_ , she thought, wishing things could be so simple.

Tris moved her head to the side minutely, telling herself she was only pulling away from his mouth. In reality, she had given him better access, which Eric took full advantage of as he kissed his way down to the hollow of her throat- a place that had already been thoroughly scratched and bruised from their time in his office.

She drew in a sharp breath at the dull pain, and released it with a sigh when he ran his tongue over the same spot, as if trying to soothe the ache.

It took several moments after Tris felt Eric's hands on her hips before she realized that her arms were free to push him away if she so wished.

She couldn't bring herself to do it, not now, as he was trailing light kisses over her neck, rubbing his thumbs in circles over her hips; leaving her heart racing and her skin tingling.

"You're not being fair," Tris gasped, digging her nails into his neck to divert his attention. The predatory growl that came from his lips was not what she had intended.

"Imagine that..." he spoke into her neck, pausing to nip at her skin with his teeth between words. "I'm not… being… fair."

She suddenly felt like putty in his arms, pliable and molded as close to his body as she could possibly be. It was no wonder that she didn't fight as his hands worked their way under her shirt, pulling it up past her belly button. His hands were rough and calloused against her bare skin and she couldn't help but to gasp in surprise once more as they tightened around her waist, nearly encircling her slender frame and holding tight enough that she couldn't have fled, even if she wanted to.

He took advantage of her surprise and claimed her lips with a slow deliberateness that hadn't been present during their earlier time together. As such, she found the sensation to be much more overwhelming and much more difficult to fight. The stubble of his cheeks scratched at her skin as he pressed his forehead to hers, before the feeling of his soft, full lips then covered her mouth again. The gentle pressure of his lips goaded her to move with him, to return the attention he lavished on her until she was sufficiently breathless and shaking. He drew back slightly, enough to capture her wide eyes with his own steady gaze.

"So tell me," He whispered, all traces of amusement gone.

 _What?_

Tris stared at him, trying to remember how to speak while she drew in huge gulps of air that her body had been deprived of.

"Eric..." she trailed off, her mind drawing a blank.

"I watched your fear landscape," he said quietly, running his hands up her sides, lifting her shirt even higher. "It was impressive," he whispered in her ear. The feel of his breath made her shudder, though it wasn't unpleasant. "But there's a problem..."

"Problem," she repeated, watching his hands inch slowly closer to her breasts.

"Yeah… The last one..." 

"What about it?" Tris asked boldly, meeting his eyes rather than watch as she allowed his hands to roam over her body.

"It doesn't make sense to me," he grinned, finally pulling her tee shirt over her neck. She did not fight him when he pulled her arms from the sleeves.

"Why not?" Her cheeks burned as she stood bared before him, her underwear being all that separated her body from Eric's hungry eyes. Eric still held her shirt in his hands and for the first time in several minutes, he did not touch her.

"Because the girl I know would never back down from a challenge."

"A challenge?!" She hissed the word, unable to help the way her lip curled into a snarl. "That's what you call _this_?!" She motioned to her naked body in a rage, realizing after that that may not have been the best idea. She saw the way his pupils were dilated, caught the increase in the speed of his breathing. Eric looked more like a predator now then he ever had and it was clear what he had set his sights on. To him, describing her as a challenge made perfect sense.

"God, you're beautiful when you're angry," he chuckled, dropping her shirt to the ground.

"No, don't," she snapped, trying to push Eric away as he pulled her against him again. His hands were on her bare back, covering her shoulder blades and sliding down, following the curve of her hips down until he held her ass in his hands.

"I told you I hate that word," he mumbled, burying his face in her neck again.

"You don't hear it enough," Tris quipped, steeling herself against the sensation of her bare breasts brushing against his shirt and the abdominal muscles underneath it, the feel of his lips softly pinching the sensitive skin below her ear...

 _Oh my god._

There was a part of her that wanted nothing more than to rid Eric of his shirt as well, to feel his bare skin warm against her own.

As if the pause of her fight was substantial, Eric seemed to read her mind and moved to pull off the offending clothing.

She huffed and tried to use the opportunity to push him away again, but she froze- stricken by the sight of Eric, shirtless and already running his hands over her back again.

He was a sight to behold, like nothing and no one that she had ever seen before. Towards the end of training, the boys she had shared a dorm with boasted impressive bodies, but none of them were in the same league as the _man_ in front of her. The entirety of his arms were heavily tattooed under his clothes, and his biceps were quite larger than she had imagined. She counted eight, clean cut abdominal muscles, which her fingers flew to without thought, finally able to see and touch him like she had wanted in the heat of the moment.

Eric suddenly picked her up with his hands gripping her thighs tightly, pulling her cleanly off her feet. Before she could adjust to this new position, he threw her down on her bed. Tris gasped in surprise, clutching the mattress to steady herself. She could do little about the way her breasts bounced, though Eric seemed to appreciate the sight.

"The girl I know is fearless," he breathed as he stood at the edge of the bed and watched Tris hungrily.

"Maybe you don't know me as well as you think," she offered quietly, trying her best to convey that she did _not_ want him to advance upon her. She didn't, did she?

He smirked and crawled onto the bed, and Tris did nothing to stop him as he positioned himself over her. As her hand brushed against the skin of his abdomen, he caught it with a sharp look in his eyes. He weaved his fingers though hers before pinning her arm to the bed above their heads.

"Give me some credit," he muttered, lowering his mouth to her breast so casually that she did not object.

She jumped as his lips pulled at her nipple, as his tongue darted out of his mouth and circled the sensitive area once, then again as he pulled a sigh from her lips.

"Eric," she moaned, more provocatively than intended. "Stop, you have to stop," she gasped out, even as she arched her back to be closer to him.

"Shut up, Stiff," he mumbled before pulling her nipple into his mouth. If there was any fight left inside of her, Tris imagined it left her at that precise moment. She turned to a puddle beneath him, groaning quietly as his tongue lavished attention on her breasts and his hands ran smoothly over her body from her neck to her upper thighs. It wasn't long after that, she felt his fingers on her underwear, his touch so light that she shivered and her body begged for a more substantial touch.

She didn't ask aloud, but Eric obliged her wish as if he read her mind once more. He fumbled with the button on his jeans and pulled them off in record time, leaving him completely bare before her eyes. Her jaw dropped in shock as she took in the size of him, already erect.

"No. No way, Eric-"

He laughed, cutting off her protests.

"Worried I won't fit?" He asks smugly. It didn't take a Candor to see how proud Eric was of his body. She looked again, shaking her head in disbelief. Like the rest of him, Eric's dick was overly large and thick and Tris' heart was suddenly pounding at the realization that Eric was not playing- he would pursue her until he got what he desired, protests be damned. Though the pulse between her legs had become almost unbearable and it throbbed at the sight of the light trail of hair that led down to his privates, her mind whirled with thoughts on how to get out of the situation. His hand appeared and he stroked himself a few times before bringing Tris' hand up to replace his own.

"Touch me," he demanded with a moan, wrapping his hand over hers and forcing her to stroke him.

She was surprised again as she felt how silky his skin was, even though it was hard as a rock. It wasn't difficult to do as he asked and she watched the expressions wash over his face with fascination.

She was momentarily caught up in the feel of his silkiness against her hand. A slight wetness was seeping out of the head of his dick while he had his head thrown back in the throes of pleasure. She softened at the sight, bringing her other hand up to stroke his hair.

"I can't do this," she whispered, tugging lightly at a strand of his longer hair.

"What?" He asked, eyes suddenly open and sharp.

"I-I'm a virgin, Eric," she confessed, letting her hands fall away from him. "I'm..."

"You're scared," he finished, giving her a cocky grin. "But you always face your fears head on."

"I'm not ready-"

"Bullshit," he cut her off sharply. Too quickly, he moved his hand to the apex of her legs. She stilled as he ran his fingers over her most sensitive area. Even through the cotton of her underwear, his touch made her burn. "I can tell," he told her breathlessly. "You want me so bad, Tris."

"Yes, but-"

He crushed his mouth down on hers, silencing her protests. She tried to shake her head, to make Eric listen, but he was relentless and barely gave her the opportunity to breathe as his lips assaulted hers. He became tired of her hands pushing against his chest, trying to shove him away and he captured her wrists easily, again pinning her arms above her head. Trapped beneath him, she was helpless to react as he hooked his fingers around the band of her underwear and slid them down her legs with one hand.

"You're mine," he whispered, pupils blown wide as he eyed her naked body trembling beneath him.

Even her lips trembled, but he did not comment on her display of fear.

He ground his hips into hers and Tris was shocked into releasing a loud moan as his length slid over her wet folds, teasing as he pressed on her most erogenous area.

"Oh my god..." She hadn't meant to say it aloud, but Tris had never felt such an intense pleasure and it clouded her mind with lust.

"Be brave, Tris," he smirked, using his hand to slide his cock over her folds again, this time pushing harder. She gasped for breath and stared up into his eyes. He paused at her entrance to meet her gaze- not asking for permission, but conveying his ownership as he laid claim to her body.

She drew in a sharp breath as he slowly pushed into her, causing her to feel as if she were ripping from the inside, splitting into two.

"Eric!" She shrieked with pain, eyes watering as he plunged into her with one more powerful thrust, now fully sheathed inside of her. She winced at the stretch, but didn't dare reprimand him for his actions.

Perhaps misunderstanding her cry, he grunted in response, eyes closed and lips parted. In that moment Tris' temper flared- she was in a tremendous amount of pain and her mind was clouded with shock and disbelief.

"You're mine, Stiff," he muttered, his face buried in the crook of her neck once more.

She didn't cry out as he bit her neck, latching on harder than the playful nips she had become accustomed to. Her mind was reeling as she tried to shift her hips to lessen the pain between her legs as Eric began to move inside of her. He didn't seem to notice her discomfort, or if he did, he showed no concern. Tris was grateful for the slow pace Eric had established, but she thought it was more for his benefit than her own.

His hand grasped for her breast, and Tris was glad for the stimulation that distracted her from the pain of their intercourse. He squeezed one of her breasts tightly as he drove himself deeper inside of her. There was the tiniest hint of pleasure as he hit something deep inside of her, something she had not known existed.

"Eric," she called again, digging her nails into his back as he pounded into her without regard to the pain he caused her.

"Just hold on," he whispered, biting the other side of her throat as she threw her head back. "Let me make you feel good..."

As if she had a choice.

Tris bit her lip as he thrust into her again and she couldn't deny that the pain was lessening. There seemed to be plenty of lubrication between them, never mind that it was mostly her blood.

She fought the desire to close her eyes, instead pulling her legs farther apart to accommodate Eric between them. His hands ghosted over one of her legs, stopping at the bend of her knee. She watched him with wide eyes as he lifted her leg and put it over his shoulder. The next thrust was so deep that Tris cried out again, surprised by the depth he had achieved and the shock of pleasure that coursed through her. 

When he brought his hand to her clit, Tris looked to him in surprise, meeting his crooked grin with wide eyes. His thumb expertly played with the bundle of nerves, timed perfectly with each thrust, she was beginning to pant from the exertion he put on her body.

Finally allowing herself to close her eyes, Tris concentrated on the friction, finding that each thrust awoke responses that she never thought to experience. His dick suddenly felt hard as iron inside of her, and Tris moaned as her muscles clenched around him, as if she had known what she was doing.

"Oh my god," she sighed, pushing her hips up to meet his. The only sounds in the room were her moans, his heavy breathing, their skin slapping together roughly. He slid his hand over the leg that lay on his shoulder, grabbing at the flesh as her walls clenched around him again. She could feel his lips twist into a grin against her throat. If she thought he had been rough with her before, it was nothing compared to how he pounded into her now, but complaining was far from her mind. She groaned, dragging her fingernails down his back, likely drawing blood in her haste. "Please..." she whimpered, though she wasn't sure what she asked for.

"What do you want, Stiff?" He asked, punctuating each word with well times thrusts that left her completely breathless.

"Please…"

Her words moved him into action and his fingers found her clit once more, causing her to wrap her arms tightly around his neck.

"You want to come," he told her, as breathless as she. "You want me to fuck you. Say it," he demanded.

"Yes," she agreed hastily. "I want you to fuck me. Please, Eric."

He obliged her, rolling her clit between his fingers as he pounded into her, his dick feeling harder than ever. She felt as if her eyes were rolling back in her head from the pure ecstasy of him inside of her, of his strong fingers that so skillfully brought her to the edge.

"Harder," she called again, dizzy and confused by the knot that was twisting itself into her gut as her toes curled. His pace increased, becoming erratic as he neared his release and Tris was sure that she wouldn't last. With only a few more thrusts, something broke inside of her and Tris was thrown into oblivion, a place where common sense was not necessary. She may have screamed at the release, but she wasn't sure. Eric's sudden shudder told Tris that he found his release right behind her.

Rather than pull of out her, Eric dropped her leg, shifting their positions so that he could pull her onto his lap, legs on either side of his waist.

Panting heavily, but feeling completely sated, Tris collapsed against him, throwing her arms back around his neck and she hid her face in the crook of his neck.

She assumed this was when the Abnegation would express their love for their partner.

"Next time," Eric began, also breathless. "I expect less complaining and more screaming."


	13. A Note

Did you enjoy this story?

Send me your Eric-centric prompts and Ill do my best to fill every request that comes in. I _want_ to write more EricxTris for you. I really do.


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